Neurosurgery 100 years ago: the Queen Square letters of Foster Kennedy

The prominent New York City neurologist Foster Kennedy (1884-1952) trained at London's Queen Square from 1906 to 1910. He was exposed to a number of eminent neurologists including, Sir Victor Horsley and other surgeons. A previously published but little known group of Kennedy's personal letters written during his neurological training is reviewed in light of their historic neurosurgical context. These often entertaining although at times unflattering letters capture the elation and frustration of neurosurgical experience during that important developmental period. Descriptions of the personalities involved give rare insight to this era. The Foster Kennedy syndrome--homolateral optic atrophy and contralateral papilledema with an inferior frontal tumor--was characterized under the stimulating support of Gowers and Horsley.