Charles Bingham Penrose: A vision for the future

Charles Bingham Penrose (1862-1925) was a renowned American surgeon and physicist who secured his place in the history of surgery with the invention of a drain named after him. Penrose attended Harvard College, where he graduated at the age of 19 with highest honors in physics. At 22, he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Following his graduation, he worked as an ambulatory surgeon, participated in various research projects, and ran a medical practice specializing in gynecology. In 1887, he founded the first hospital in Philadelphia dedicated exclusively to gynecological issues. For his contributions to this field, he was awarded the title of Professor of Gynecology at the University of Pennsylvania in 1893. In the late 19th century, Penrose focused primarily on surgical drainage and the education of surgeons in this field, encouraging them to use this procedure more frequently. He described a rubber drain used for abdominal cavity drainage, which remained in use until the mid-20th century. This drain came to be known as the Penrose drain. Penrose contracted tuberculosis at a young age, and due to the advanced form of the disease, he had to withdraw from medical practice at the age of 38. He was married and a father to three children. Charles Bingham Penrose passed away on February 28, 1925, at the age of 64, while on a train near Washington, D.C.