Harold Griffith

Harold Randall Griffith (July 25, 1894 – 1985) was a Canadian anesthesiologist and a leader in the fields of anesthesiology.

History Griffith was born in Montreal the son of Alexander Randall Griffith, a medical doctor and homeopathic practitioner. His medical studies at McGill University were interrupted by World War I, where he served in the No 6. Field Ambulance and was awarded the Military Medal for bravery at Vimy Ridge. He received his MDCM from McGill University in 1922, and an MD in homeopathic medicine from Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia in 1923.

He developed his interest in anaesthesia as a medical student during which time he administered many anaesthetics and developed an acute awareness of the subtleties essential for safe anaesthesia practice with the drugs and techniques available at that time. Anaesthesia became his professional career and he served as Anaesthetist-in-Chief at the Montreal Homeopathic Hospital, subsequently renamed the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, from 1923 to 1959, and remained active as an anaesthetist until 1966.

He introduced the use of ethylene (1923) and cyclopropane (1933) into Canadian anaesthetic practice.

In 1943 Dr. Griffith established the first postoperative recovery room in Canada which he believed may have been his major contribution to patient care.

Recognition Feltrinelli Prize of Academe dei Lincei, Rome, 1954. Hickman Medal of Royal Society of Medicine, London, 1956. Distinguished Service Award, American Society of Anesthesiologists, 1959. (Only non-American to receive this award.) Founder-President, World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists, 1959. Canadian Anaesthetists' Society Medal, 1962. Ralph Waters Award, Illinois Society of Anesthesiology, 1970. Officer, Order of Canada, 1974. Honorary LLD, University of Saskatchewan, 1974. Canada Post Commemorative Stamp, 1991. McGill University established the Harold R Griffith Research Chair in Anesthesia in 1992.