Eugene L. Jewett, MD, and his wife, Dr. Ruth Jewett, relocated his practice from New York to Orlando in 1936 to help ease the symptoms of the young physician’s arthritis. With a chemical engineering degree from Cornell University (1922) and a medical degree from Harvard Medical School (1929), the now internationally renowned pioneer in orthopedic medicine promptly set out to find innovative treatments for the injured and sick in his new community.
Most significantly, his development of two devices — the Jewett Orthopedic Hip Nail and the Jewett Hyperextension Back Brace — revolutionized fracture treatment in the 1930s and 1940s. At the time, heavy casts and prolonged bed rest were standard treatment. With Dr. Jewett’s inventions, patients were able to get up sooner and, in turn, suffered fewer complications caused by prolonged inactivity. Both of these innovations changed the course of orthopedics, saved hundreds of thousands of lives, and are still in use today in different forms.
Further, as a U.S. Navy captain during World War II, Dr. Jewett served aboard the USS Samaritan as Chief of Orthopedics and Chief of Surgery, and receiving numerous honors and awards for his leadership and courage.
In addition to founding the preeminent orthopedic clinic in Central Florida, Dr. Jewett was a member of 12 local, state, national and international medical associations, and he was affiliated with 12 Central Florida hospitals during his career. In late 2019, Jewett Orthopaedic Clinic and Orlando Health united to become Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute and carry on the same innovative spirit of its founder and namesake.
Learn more in depth details about Dr. Jewett's journey to orthopedics.
