Medical milestones, landmark publications, and notable births and deaths associated with April 30.

Events

1961 – Leonid Ivanovich Rogozov (1934–2000), the sole doctor at Novolazarevskaya Station (Soviet Antarctic Expedition), developed worsening acute appendicitis with no possibility of evacuation during a blizzard. He decided “the only solution was to operate on myself.” With two non-medical colleagues assisting (one holding retractors, one using a mirror for visualisation), Rogozov performed an auto-appendicectomy at 22:00 (Moscow time).

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Births

1863 – Leonardo Gigli (1863-1908), Italian surgeon and gynaecologist; described Gigli saw and the Gigli Operation (1894) – famously hidden in the game of Monopoly to assist the escape of POW (1941)

1872 – Rufus Ivory Cole (1872-1966), American physician; described Cole-Cecil murmur (1908)

1922 – Sidney Weinstein (1922-2010), American neuroscientist. Invented the Semmes-Weinstein Pressure Aesthesiometer (1958), Semmes-Weinstein monofilament examination and the Weinstein Enhanced Sensory Test (WEST)

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Deaths

1815 – Léon Athanase Gosselin (1815-1887), French surgeon; described the Gosselin Fracture (1855)

1927 – Henry Koplik (1858-1927), American pediatrician; described Koplik spots (1896)

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Further reading

• Rogozov LI. Self Operation. Soviet Antarctic Expedition Information Bulletin, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC. 1964; 4: 223-224
• Rogozov V. Operace vlastního apendixu v Antarktidě. Práce jako práce, život jako život. Vesmír 2004; 83(1): 25
• Cadogan M. Auto-appendicectomy. LITFL