Wally Nelson and Lowell “Bud” White

Neuroscience History of the Pacific Northwest
with Wally Nelson M.D. and Lowell E. “Bud” White Jr. M.D.

Wally Nelson M.D. and Lowell E. “Bud” White Jr.

Lloyd E.“Bud” White Jr. and Wally Nelson were the 2nd (1957) and 3rd (1958) graduates of the University of Washington Neurosurgery program. The neurosurgery division was founded by Arthur Ward M.D. within the surgery department headed by Henry N. Harkins MD. Both Wally and Bud were born in the Seattle area and currently reside in Washington State – Lloyd in Mukilteo, Washington and Wally in Brady, Washington.

Wally Nelson established a very successful private neurosurgical practice, first at the Cabrini Hospital and latter at the Swedish Hosptial in Seattle, Washington. Lloyd “Bud” White became a neuroscience educator and held a number of academic posts at the University of Washington and in different parts of the country before retirement. Both physicians were pleased to contribute to the neuroscience history of the Pacific Northwest through a video interview that took on at Wally’s beautiful ranch in Brady, Washington, March 13, 2009

They speak about the early origins of neurosurgery in the Pacific Northwest around the times of World War I and World War II and thereafter. During this early period neurosurgical training programs were through apprenticeships lasting only three (3) months. This was a far cry from the 7 year long neurosurgery residency training program established at the U of W by Arthur Ward M.D. in 1949.

Wally and Bud point out the longevity of the Pacific Northwest Society of Neurology and Psychiatry that was formed before the creation of the U of W neurosurgery training program and which is still active organization today. Wally and Bud credit the contributions of several of the early Seattle neurosurgeons – S.N Berens, J.Y. Phillips and others. Highlights include reference to the first EEG, brain scan and angiographic technologies in the Seattle area. Through their candid comments, they also give a ‘feel’ for the life and times of neurosurgical practice back in that era.

Bud was a consultant to the National Library of Medicine in the early 1960’s, when the decision was made to create a medical data base of all medical information from 1967 onward. Therefore, reference to medical information earlier that 1967 through computer databases exists only through “sited papers”. Hence, the perspectives offered by Wally and Bud on this website possess considerable historical value.

As a former graduate of the University of Washington Medical School in 1968 and neurosurgical practitioner in Everett, Washington, for 30 years, I found their remarks to be very unique. The interviews that occurred both individually and together and are presented below for your interest.

Many thanks to Richard Eaks and Puget Sound Video for both support of these historic interviews of Wally and Bud – as well as for the ongoing creation and maintenance of this website.
(pugetsoundvideo.net).

Sanford Wright Jr. M.D.
May 2, 2009