David M. Little Prize

Each year the Anesthesia History Association awards David M. Little, Jr. Prizes for the best original works on anesthesia history published the previous year in English in each of three categories: books, journal articles, and audio-visual media. The prize is named after Dr. David M. Little, Jr. (1920-1981), longtime Chair of Anesthesia at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut. For many years Dr. Little wrote the “Classical File” series of history columns for the Survey of Anesthesiology.. Awards are announced each October at the Annual Dinner Meeting of the Anesthesia History Association during the ASA Annual Meeting.

The awards in the current year are for works published in the previous calendar year. The deadline for nominations is September 1, and should be sent electronically to: Dr. Jeb Kucik at jkmd97@gmail.com

David M. Little, Jr., M.D.
(1920-1981)

2024

WINNER OF THE ARTICLE PRIZE:

Sharon Bouvette, B.S., Amir L. Butt, M.D., M.P.H., Lacy Harville III, M.D., and Kenichi Tanaka, M.D., M.Sc.
From Ancient Arsenal to an Anesthetic: Historical Roles of Hyoscyamine and Aconitine in Anesthesia.

2023

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Declan Warde, Joseph Tracey, and John Cahill.
Safety As We Watch: Anaesthesia in Ireland 1847-1998.

WINNER OF THE ARTICLE PRIZE:

Allan Jay Schwartz, Melissa L. Coleman, and Jane S. Moon.
Thomas Dent Mütter, M.D. (1811-1859): Exemplar of Expertise.

WINNER OF THE SPECIAL CATEGORY PRIZE:

Christine M. Ball, Santhanam Suresh, Jane S. Moon, and Douglas Bacon.
Celebrating the Centenary of Anesthesia & Analgesia.

2022

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Alistair McKenzie.
More Notable Names in Anaesthesia.

WINNER OF THE ARTICLE PRIZE:

Floris S. Wiepking, BSc, and André A. J. Van Zundert, MD, PhD, FRCA, EDRA, FANZCA.
Oddities in the Evolution of Syringes in Anesthesia.

2021

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Ms. Emily Bunker
Horace and Elizabeth: Love and Death and Painless Dentistry: The Letters of Horace and Elizabeth Wells
Independently Published.

WINNER OF THE JOURNAL ARTICLE PRIZE:

Drs. Jane Moon and Douglas Bacon
“Ambition for Self and for Specialty: Emery A. Rovenstine and the Politics of Organized Anesthesia, 1937–1947”
Anesthesia and Analgesia 2020, 131(6):1934-42.

2020

WINNER OF THE JOURNAL ARTICLE PRIZE:

Drs. Rajesh P. Haridas, Michael Gionfriddo, and George S. Bause.
Etymology of Letheon: Nineteenth-Century Linguistic Effervescence.
Anesthesiology 2019; 131:1210–22.

2019

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Drs. Manisha and Sukamar Desai
Proceedings of the 9th International Symposium on the History of Anesthesia, Boston, October 24-28, 2017.

WINNER OF THE JOURNAL ARTICLE PRIZE:

Dr. Peter Featherstone
“Improvised Anesthesia, Surgery, and Resuscitation in Far East Prisoner of War Camps, 1942 to 1945.”
Int Anesthesiol Clin 2018; 56(2):3-18.

2018

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Dr. Akitomo Matsuki.
The Origin and Evolution of Anesthesia in Japan.
Hirosaki, Japan: Hirosaki Universty Press, 2017.

WINNER OF THE JOURNAL ARTICLE PRIZE:

Dr. Adrian A. Matioc.
An Anesthesiologist’s Perspective on the History of Basic Airway Management: The “Artisanal Anesthetic” Era: 1846 to 1904.
Anesthesiology. 2017; 126(3):394-408.

WINNER OF THE OTHER MEDIA PRIZE: No prize

2017

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Drs. Michael G. Cooper, Christine M. Ball, and Jeanette R. Thirlwell.
History of Anaesthesia VII. Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on the History of Anaesthesia.
North Sydney, NSW : Australian Society of Anaesthetists Limited, 2016.

WINNER OF THE JOURNAL ARTICLE PRIZE:

Drs.  Matthew L. Edwards and David B. Waisel.
49 Mathoura Road: Geoffrey Kaye’s Center of Excellence for the Australian Society of Anaesthetists.
Anesthesiology. 2016 Jun;124(6):1222-9.

WINNER OF THE OTHER MEDIA PRIZE:

Dr. Dan Drzymalski, Andrew Miller, and William Camann.
From the Mayflower to the Maternity Ward: Obstetric Anesthesia and Mt. Auburn Cemetery.
SOAP & Youtube video.

2016

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Dr. Alistair G. McKenzie
The Centenary of the Scottish Society of Anaesthetists 1914 – 2014
Edinburgh, Scotland: Scottish Society of Anaesthetists, 2015. 

WINNER OF THE JOURNAL ARTICLE PRIZE:

Drs. Anne L. Craig and Sukumar P. Desai.
Human Medical Experimentation with Extreme Prejudice:
Lessons from the Doctors’ Trial at Nuremberg
Journal of Anesthesia History 2015; 1(3): 64-69. 

WINNER OF THE OTHER MEDIA PRIZE:

Curator Monica Cronin and Dr. Christine Ball.
Trailblazers & Peacekeepers: Honouring the ANZAC Spirit.
A Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History Online Exhibition.
anzca.online-exhibition.net/trailblazers

WINNER OF THE “SPECIAL AWARD” PRIZE:

Dr. David B. Waisel.
Founding Editor-in-Chief of the
Journal of Anesthesia History

2015

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE: No Award

WINNER OF THE JOURNAL ARTICLE PRIZE:

Dr. George S. Bause
“Masters of Anaesthesia”: M.S.A. Degrees During the 1893 World’s Fair from Chicago’s Post-Graduate School of Anaesthesia.
Anesthesiology 2014 [Jan]; 120(1): 42-49. 

WINNER OF THE OTHER MEDIA PRIZE:

Dr. Peter Featherstone
for his inspired design and work as Webmaster of the
History of Anaesthesia Society Website
histansoc.org.uk

 

WINNER OF THE “SPECIAL AWARD” PRIZE:

Mr. Samuel D. Morris, Ms. Alina J. Morris, and Dr. Mark A. Rockoff
for collaborating on a publication that was featured on a journal cover and in two editorials:
Freeman Allen: Boston’s Pioneering Physician Anesthetist
Anesthesia & Analgesia 2014 [Nov]; 119(5): 1186-1193 

2014

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Drs. Edmond I. Eger II, Lawrence J. Saidman, and Rod N. Westhorpe, (Editors)
The Wondrous Story of Anesthesia.
New York: Springer, 2013 (release) 2014 (copyright)

 

WINNER OF THE JOURNAL ARTICLE PRIZE:

Dr. Christine M. Ball
The Foregger Midget: A Machine that Traveled.
Anesthesiology 2013 [Nov]; 119(5): 1023-1030 

WINNER OF THE OTHER MEDIA PRIZE:

Drs. Christine L. Mai, Myron Yaster, Paul G. Firth, Zulfiqar Ahmed, Samuel Rodriguez, Larry Chu, Mark S. Schreiner, and Badrea Elder.
The History of Pediatric Anesthesia Timeline Project
Pediatric Anesthesia (Wiley) Articles & Associated Videoshttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/%28ISSN%291460-9592/homepage/history_of_pediatric_anesthesia.htm 

 

WINNER OF THE “SPECIAL AWARD” PRIZE:

Dr. Rajesh P. Haridas
for first-authoring simultaneous publications on Horace Wells, William Morton, and Charles Jackson:
1) Haridas RP.
Horace Wells’ Demonstration of Nitrous Oxide in Boston.
Anesthesiology 2013 [Nov]; 119: 1014-1022. 
2) Haridas RP, Mifflin JA.
Researches Regarding the Morton Ether Inhaler at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Anesthesia & Analgesia 2013 [Nov]; 117: 1230-1235. 
3) Haridas RP, Bause GS.
Correspondence by Charles T. Jackson Containing the Earliest Known Illustrations of a Morton Ether Inhaler.
Anesthesia & Analgesia 2013 [Nov]; 117: 1236-1240. 

2013

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Patrick Sim (posthumously), Donald Caton, Kathryn E. McGoldrick, Pauline Snider, and Felicia A. Reilly
The Heritage of Anesthesia:
Patrick Sim’s Annotated Bibliography of the Rare Book Collection
of the Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology
Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology 2012
Park Ridge, Illinois 

 

WINNER OF THE JOURNAL ARTICLE PRIZE:

Drs. Steven Shafer, George Bause, Douglas Bacon, Selma Calmes, James Edmonson, Kathryn McGoldrick, Kai Rehder, Alan Sessler, Peter Southorn, and Kenneth Tuman
For their series of historical articles honoring Mrs. Laurette McMechan and Drs. Francis McMechan, Howard Dittrick, T. H. Seldon, Nicholas Greene, and Ronald Miller:
The Giants Behind the Journal
Anesthesia and Analgesia 2012 December; 115(6): 1393-1436, historical cover 

WINNER OF THE OTHER MEDIA PRIZE:

Bradley E. Smith, M.D.
For audiovisual excellence in coordinating videotaped interviews for Year 2012 for:
John W. Pender Collection of the Living History of Anesthesiology

2012

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Dr. Gerald L. Zeitlin
Laughing and Crying About Anesthesia:
A Memoir of Risk and Safety.
Allandale Publishers 2011
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 

WINNER OF THE JOURNAL ARTICLE PRIZE:

Drs. George S. Bause & Charles C. Tandy
Remembering Patrick P. Sim, M.L.S. (1939-2010):
Our “Tiger Amongst the Tomes” at America’s Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology.
Bulletin of Anesthesia History 2011; 29(1): 2-4 

 

JOURNAL ARTICLE PRIZE – HONORABLE MENTION:

Dr. Rajesh P. Haridas
The Leech airway or pharyngeal bulb gasway.
Anaesthesia and Intensive Care 2011; 39 Suppl 1: 5-10

2011

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Dr. Rajesh P. Haridas
Photographs of Early Ether Anesthesia in Boston:
The Daguerreotypes of Albert Southworth and Josiah Hawes.
Anesthesiology 2010; 113: 13-26

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Dr. Theodore A. Alston
Early Misconceptions About Nitrous Oxide, an “Invigorating” Asphyxiant.
Journal of Clinical Anesthesia 2010; 22: 59-63

Dr. David Zuck
The Westminster Medical Society 1809-1850.
History of Anaesthesia Society Proceedings 2010; 42: 9-25.

2010

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Dr. David Shephard
From Craft to Specialty: A Medical and Social History of Anesthesia and Its Changing Role in Health Care.
Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada: York Point Publishing, 2009
[NOTE: “In association with Alan Sessler, Francis Whalen and Tuhin Roy”]

HONORABLE MENTION:

Dr. George S. Bause
“Anesthesiology Reflections.”
Anesthesiology Numerous issues in 2009

2009

CO-WINNERS OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

At the Anesthesia History Association annual dinner in New Orleans, Louisiana, in October 2009, the Little Prize Nominating Committee, chaired by Mark G. Mandabach, MD, announced the following winners and honorable mentions.

After the 2009 Little Prize was awarded, the editors of the Anaesthesia and Intensive Care brought to our attention a special note concerning the winning entry found at Anaesth Intensive Care 2009; 37 (Suppl 1): 5.  The Little Prize Committee has reviewed this notice and believes the quality of the remaining undisputed work is sufficient to warrant the Prize.

Thirlwell, J, Bailey RJ, eds. Australian Society of Anaesthetists, Australia and New Zealand Intensive Care Society, New Zealand Society of Anaesthetists Anesthesia and Intensive Care Vol. 36, Supplement 1, July 2008. 

Lowenstein E, McPeek B, eds. Enduring Contributions of Henry K. Beecher to Medicine, Science, and Society. Kluwer/Lippincott, 2007-2008
[International Anesthesiology Clinics] v. 45, no. 4 and v. 46, no. 1]

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Finucane BT. Canadian contributions to the introduction and use of divinyl ether. Can J Anaesth. 2008 Dec;55(12):853-8

van Zundert A, Helmstädter A, Goerig M, Mortier E. Centennial of intravenous regional anesthesia. Bier’s Block (1908-2008). Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2008 Sep-Oct;33(5):483-9.

Jaffe MB Infrared measurement of carbon dioxide in the human breath: “breathe-through” devices from Tyndall to the present dayAnesth Analg. 2008 Sep;107(3):890-904. 

Stanley TH, Egan TD, Van Aken H. A tribute to Dr. Paul A. J. Janssen: entrepreneur extraordinaire, innovative scientist, and significant contributor to anesthesiology. Anesth Analg. 2008 Feb;106(2):451-62.

2008

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Sykes K, Bunker J, eds. AnaesthesIa and the Practice of Medicine: Historical Perspectives. Royal Society of Medicine Press 2007. 224 pp.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Metcalfe NH. The effect of the First World War (1914 – 1918) on the development of British anaesthesia. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2007 Aug; 24 (8) : 649 – 57. 

Brodsky JB, Lemmens HJ. The history of anesthesia for thoracic surgery. Minerva Anestesiol. 2007 Oct; 73 (10) ; 513 – 24. Epub 2007 Mar 27. Review. 

Nosker GS, Swan KG Sir Ivan Magill: the right physscian in the right place at the right time. J Trauma. 2007 Apr; 62 (4) : 1056 – 9. 

Todman D. A history of caesarean section: from ancient world to the modern era. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2007 Oct ; 47 (5) : 357 – 61.

2007

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Kalliardou E, Tsiotou AG, Velegrakis D, Avgerinopoulou A, Poulakou E, Papadimitriou L. Historical aspects of inhalation anesthesia in children: ether and chloroform. Paediatr Anaesth. 2006 Jan;16(1):3-10

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Broussard DM, Winthrop B, Vachon CA. Ansel Marion Caine, M.D. Methoxyflurane revisited: tale of an anesthetic from cradle to grave. Anesthesiology. 2006 Jun;104(6):1329-35 

Mazze RI. Anesthesiology. 2006 Oct;105(4):843-6 

Ortega RA, Kelly LR, Yee MK, Lewis KP. Written in granite: a history of the Ether Monument and its significance for anesthesiology. Anesthesiology. 2006 Oct;105(4):838-42 

2006

CO-WINNERS OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Bacon DR, McGoldrick KE, Lema MJ, eds. The American Society of Anesthesiologists: A Century of Challenges and Progress. Wood Library-Museum, 2005. 226pp. 

Lai D. Pentothal Postcards. West New York, NJ: Mark Blatty 2005. 190pp.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Brodsky JB. The evolution of thoracic anesthesia. Thorac Surg Clin.2005 Feb;15(1):1-10. 

Costarino AT Jr., Downes JJ. Pediatric anesthesia historical perspective. Anesthesiology Clinics of North America. 23(4):573-95, vii, 2005 Dec

2005

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Lucien E. Morris, Mark E. Schroeder, Mary Ellen Warner, eds. A Celebration of 75 Years Honoring Ralph Milton Waters, M.D., Mentor to a Profession. Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology, 2004[Proceedings of the Ralph M. Waters Symposium on Professionalism in Anesthesiology, Madison, Wisconsin, June 2002]

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Larson MD. History of anesthetic practice. In: Miller RD, ed. Miller’s Anesthesia. 6th ed. Churchill Livingstone 2004, pp 3-52 

Calthorpe N. The history of spinal needles: getting to the point.Anaesthesia. 2004 Dec;59(12):1231-41

Harrington BE. Postdural puncture headache and the development of the epidural blood patch. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2004 Mar-Apr;29(2):136-63

Burkle CM, Zepeda FA, Bacon DR, Rose SH A historical perspective on use of the laryngoscope as a tool in anesthesiology.Anesthesiology. 2004 Apr;100(4):1003-6

2004

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Vinten-Johansen, Peter; Howard Brody, Nigel Paneth, Stephen Rachman, and Michael Rip. Cholera, Chloroform, and the Science of Medicine: A Life of John Snow. Oxford University Press, 2003 

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Stratmann, Linda. Chloroform: The Quest for Oblivion. Sutton Publishing, 2003 

Waisel DB Norman’s war: Norman B. Kornfield, M.D., World War II physician-anesthetist. Anesthesiology. 2003 Apr;98(4):995-1003 

Calatayud J, Gonzalez A. History of the development and evolution of local anesthesia since the coca leaf. Anesthesiology.2003Jun;98(6):1503-8 

Ramirez JG. Modern chemical warfare: a history. Bull Anesth Hist.2004 Apr;22(2):1, 4-7, 15.

2003

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Maltby JR, ed. Notable Names in Anaesthesia. London: Royal Society of Medicine Press, 2002. 254pp.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: 

Bacon DR, Gaston Labat John Lundy, Emery Rovenstine, and the Mayo Clinic: the spread of regional anesthesia in America between the World Wars. J Clin Anesth 14:315-320, 2002 

Jacob MC, Sauter MJ. Why did Humphry Davy and associates not pursue the pain-alleviating effects of nitrous oxide? J Hist Med Allied Sci 57(2):161-176, April 2002 

Severinghaus JW. Priestley, the furious free thinker of the enlightenment, and Scheele, the taciturn apothecary of Uppsala.ActaAnaesth Scand 46:2-9, 2002

2002

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Waisel DB. The role of World War II and the European theater of operations in the development of anesthesiology as a physician specialty in the U.S.A. Anesthesiology 94:907-914, 2001

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Batt RE, Bacon DR. Clarence J. Durshordwe, the International Anesthesia Research Society, and the World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists: the last true disciple of Francis Hoeffer McMechan. Anesth Analg 92:1349-1354, 2001 

Frolich MA, Caton D. Pioneers in epidural needle design.Anesth Analg 93:215-220, 2001 

Patterson R. Charles Thomas Jackson, MD Vesuvius, and the idea of surgical anesthesia. J Med Biog 9:220-225, 2001

2001

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Albin MS. The use of anesthetics during the Civil War, 1861-1865.Pharm Hist 42:99-114, 2000

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Goerig M, Agarwal K, Schulte am Esch J The versatile August Bier (1861-1949)., father of spinal anesthesia. J Clin Anesth 12:561-569, 2000 

McKenzie AG. Prelude to pancuronium and vecuronium. Anaesthesia55:551-556, 2000 

McKenzie AG. The inventions of John Blease. Br J Anaesth 85:928-935, 2000 

Sim P, Du B, Bacon DR. Pioneer Chinese anesthesiologists: American influeneces. Anesthesiology 93:256-264, 2000

2000

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Donald Caton What a Blessing She Had Chloroform: The Medical and Social Response to the Pain of Childbirth from 1800 to the Present Book published by Yale University Press.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Mackey DC. The history of drug delivery and spinal narcosis. In: Yaksh TL, ed. Spinal Drug Delivery. New York: Elsevier 1999, pp 1-41 

Nunn JF. Development of academic anaesthesia in the United Kingdom up to the end of 1998. Br J Anaesth 83:916-932, 1999 

Tobias, Gregory M.D.; Sands, Robert P. Jr. M.D.; Bacon, Douglas R. M.D., M.A. Continuous Spinal Anesthesia: A Continuous History?Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine 24(5): 453-457

1999

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

Norman Bergman The Genesis of Surgical Anesthesia Book published by the Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology in Park Ridge, Illinois 1998

HONORABLE MENTION:

PME Drury “Anaesthesia in the 1920s,” British Journal of Anaesthesia80:96-103, 1998

1998

WINNER OF THE BOOK PRIZE:

E.M. Papper “Anesthesia and the Surgical Experience,” Perspectives in Biology and Medicine 1997, pp 597-618

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Bacon D. “The World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists: McMechan’s final legacy?” Anesthesia and Analgesia 84:1130-1135, 1997 

Haridas RP “Ether Day and the first ether anesthetic in South Africa.” South African Journal of Surgery 35:54-58, 1997 

Patterson R. “Dr. Charles Thomas Jackson’s aphasia.” Journal of Medical Biography 5:228-231, 1997 

Woolcock HR, Thearle MJ, Sounders K. “My beloved chloroform:” attitudes to childbearing in colonial Queensland. Social History of Medicine 10:437-457, 1997