Dr. E. W. Archibald honoured by Government of Canada

On behalf of Canada’s Environment Minister John Baird, Mr. Daniel Petit, Member of Parliament for Charlesbourg– Haute-Saint-Charles, unveiled on February 8, 2008, a Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaque commemorating the national historic significance of Doctor Edward William Archibald, at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

“Our Government is proud to honour Dr. Archibald, who, for nearly 50 years, worked to improve medical procedures and teaching methods in North America,” said Mr. Petit. “Not only did he devote himself to advancing science during his medical career, he also ensured that future generations could progress in the medical field as well.” Also present at the ceremony was Laura Entin, widow of Dr. Martin Entin, whose book on Dr. Archibald is credited with having influenced the government in honouring the distinguished surgeon. Educator, clinical researcher and internationally acclaimed surgeon, Dr. Archibald advanced medicine as Canada's leading thoracic specialist in the early 20th century. He significantly improved the surgical procedure known as thoracoplasty used to treat tuberculosis, a devastating disease that once killed thousands of Canadians and that he himself survived. Widely published in his field, he taught at McGill University, where Norman Bethune was among his students. At the forefront of the scientific approach to medicine, Dr. Archibald helped to standardize surgical education and certification throughout North America.