45 cents Harvey Cushing MD

The 45 cents Harvey Cushing stamp is a postage stamp issued by the United States Postal Service in honor of the American neurosurgeon and pathologist Harvey Cushing. The stamp was issued on August 31, 1988, as part of the Great Americans stamp series, which honored outstanding individuals who contributed to American society and culture.

The stamp features a portrait of Cushing, along with an illustration of his pioneering work in neurosurgery. Cushing is depicted wearing a surgical cap and gown, with his hands holding surgical instruments. The background of the stamp is a stylized illustration of the brain and the spinal cord, reflecting Cushing's contributions to the field of neurosurgery.

The denomination of 45 cents was the postage rate for a first-class letter weighing between one and two ounces at the time of its issuance. The stamp was designed by Bradbury Thompson, an American graphic designer known for his innovative use of typography and color.

Harvey Cushing (1869-1939) was a pioneering American neurosurgeon and pathologist who is widely regarded as the father of modern neurosurgery. He is credited with developing several groundbreaking techniques in brain surgery, including the use of x-rays to locate brain tumors and the development of new surgical instruments for delicate brain surgery.

Cushing was also a prolific author and researcher, publishing over 300 scientific papers and several books on neurosurgery and related fields. He was awarded numerous honors and awards during his lifetime, including the Pulitzer Prize for biography and the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award.