Albert Vander Veer

Albert Vander Veer (July 10, 1841 – December 19, 1929) was a pioneering American surgeon, credited with performing the first thyroidectomy.

Early life Albert Vander Veer was born on July 10, 1841, in Root, New York, the son of Abraham Harris Vander Veer and Sarah Martin. After attending Union Free School, schools in Palatine and Canajoharie, and the Canajoharie Academy, he began to study medicine under the direction of Dr. Simeon Snow, of Currytown, New York, and later under Dr. John Swinburne, a physician and surgeon of renown in Albany. He served as member and president of the Albany County Medical Society, the Medical Society of the State of New York the American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Medical Association (AMA), becoming president of the AMA in 1915. He was a delegate to the International Medical Congress, held at Copenhagen in 1884, and was elected honorary president of the Fifteenth International Medical Congress held at Lisbon in 1906, having been appointed one of the commissioners from the United States government.

In July 1905, he was elected president of the American Surgical Association, having been a fellow since 1882, a member of the nominating committee, of the council, and twice president. In 1909 he was appointed by the United States government delegate to the International Medical Congress meeting at Budapest, but was unable to attend owing to the illness of his wife.

He is the author of:

"Cleft Palate and Hair Lip" in Wood's Reference Hand Book of Medical Science "History of General Surgery" in Encyclopedia Americana "Injuries and Diseases of Abdomen" in International Encyclopedia of Surgery as well as numerous articles in the leading medical journals at home and abroad.

In 1867 he was attending surgeon to the Albany Hospital Dispensary as assistant to Dr. Alden March; 1869, attending surgeon (with exception 1874-75, while abroad studying) until 1904, when appointed surgeon-in-chief; 1873 to 1903, attending surgeon St. Peter's Hospital; 1898 onward, attending surgeon South End Dispensary; consulting surgeon New York State Hospital for Crippled and Ruptured Children, West Haverstraw, New York; consulting surgeon Benedictine Hospital, Kingston, New York; consulting surgeon Champlain Valley Hospital, Plattsburgh, New York.

Vander Veer filled the following important chairs at Albany Medical College: 1869-1874, chair of general and special anatomy; 1875–1882, chair of didactic, abdominal and clinical surgery; 1882 onward, chair of surgery; dean from 1896 to 1904.

Vander Veer died at his home in Albany on December 19, 1929.