Have you peeped Google today? It’s all about Wilder Penfield, a famous American-Canadian neurosurgeon.
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The search engine site, which sometimes uses its homepage to honor prominent figures, is highlighting the doctor to celebrate him on what would have been his 127th birthday.
Born Jan. 26, 1891 in Washington, Penfield was taught the importance of education at a young age. After high school, he enrolled into Princeton University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in literature.
Two years later, he explored his science interests, obtaining the Rhodes Scholarship to Merton College at Oxford to study neuropathology. He found work all over the globe, including in Germany, England and Canada, to perfect his craft.
He later became a Canadian citizen and was Montreal’s first neurosurgeon, establishing the Montreal Neurological Institute in 1934.
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His most groundbreaking contribution was the Montreal Procedure, where he used electrical probes to treat seizure activity in the brain for people with severe epilepsy. During the surgeries, he discovered the brain could evoke memory recall. One of his patients even remembered smelling burnt toast.
“Penfield’s contributions to modern neuroscience elevated Canada’s global status in healthcare, science, and discovery while his innovations created better lives for people with epilepsy,” Google wrote.
In 1976, he died of abdominal cancer. Since his death, he’s been honored with several awards. He was designated as the National Historic Person by Canada’s government in 1988, and the Canada Post issued a stamp of him in his honor in 1991. He was also inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in 1994.
Now, Google is paying tribute. Check out the doodle archive to see Penfield's animated doodle.
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