GEORGE WASHINGTON CRILE
This appears to be the first political reference to the phrase 'iron curtain.' The origin probably stems from the iron curtain used as a safety device in theaters in the days of gaslights and candles. Nazi Propaganda Minister Goebbels used the phrase in World War II {601664} and Churchill {411311} made it famous after the war. It is not known if any of them had known of Crile’s work.
George Washington Crile was an American surgeon. Crile is now formally recognized as the first surgeon to have succeeded in a direct blood transfusion. He contributed to other procedures, such as neck dissection. Crile designed a small hemostatic forceps which bears his name; the Crile mosquito clamp. He also described a technique for using opioids, regional anesthesia and general anesthesia which is a concept known as balanced anesthesia. He is also known for co-founding the Cleveland Clinic in 1921.
