Although
J. Marion Sims (1813-1883) is often called the "father of American Gynecology",
Kelly was its pre-eminent practitioner and teacher from 1890-1920.
As the first professor of OBGYN at Johns Hopkins, he created a model for post-graduate
training that persists to this day. The list of his residents reads like a Who's Who of
American OBGYN, and includes such luminaries as
J.Whitridge Williams (1866-1931). He authored numerous books on surgery,
and almost 500 articles.
A complex man: bold and inventive surgeon; inspirational mentor; great scholar,
linguist and writer; entrepreneur and philanthropist; crusading Christian moralist. He
collected antiquarian books, fungi, and kept live snakes in his study. He founded 2
private hospitals, and was a controversial promoter of radium therapy.