Gustav Anders Hemwall (October 24, 1908 – November 22, 1998) was a physician at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, Illinois, and pioneer in prolotherapy.[1][2][3]

Gustav Anders Hemwall
Hemwall circa 1990–1995
Born(1908-10-24)October 24, 1908
DiedNovember 22, 1998(1998-11-22) (aged 90)
OccupationPhysician
Known forProlotherapy
Spouse
Helen M. Moore
(m. 1933⁠–⁠1998)
Children4

Biography

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He was born on October 24, 1908, in Chicago, Illinois, to the Swedish immigrants Anders Hemwall I (1877–1956) and Sigrid S. Lawson (1877–1957). His father was a tailor. His siblings include Anders Hemwall II (1904), who died as an infant; Ruth Elizabeth Hemwall (1905–1993), who married Charles Peter Tiedje I (1912–1980); and Helen Edith Hemwall (1913–1997), who never married.[4] Gustav married Helen M. Moore in 1933.[5]

In 1955, at an American Medical Association meeting he learned of a new treatment for chronic lower back pain by George S. Hackett called prolotherapy. Hemwall went to Hackett's office in Canton, Ohio, and was trained in the technique.

Hemwall founded the Hackett Foundation in 1969 to promote prolotherapy and train physicians in the procedure.[6]

He died in 1998 of a stroke at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, where he had been attending a medical conference. He was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Chicago area.[5][1]

Publications

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  • Neuropathic Pain: A New Theory for Chronic Pain of Intrinsic Origin, Annals RCPSC, 1989

References

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  1. ^ a b "Dr. Gustav Hemwall, Medical Humanitarian". Chicago Tribune. November 22, 1998. Retrieved 2007-08-21. Dr. Hemwall, 90, died Sunday of a stroke in St. Mary's Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, where he had been attending a medical conference. ...
  2. ^ "The History of Prolotherapy". Archived from the original on 2007-08-12. Retrieved 2007-08-26. In 1955, at an American Medical Association meeting, Dr. Gustav Hemwall was astonished to see so many doctors at one particular exhibit. The presenter was talking about a very successful treatment for chronic low back pain. Nothing was worse at the time for Dr. Hemwall than having a chronic low back pain patient come to him, because the treatments he was able to offer were not very successful. ...
  3. ^ "Prolotherapy". News Journal. October 1, 1972. Dr. Hemwall inserts needles into of the back and injects a simple dextrose solution, [which] sets up a localized inflammatory condition and stimulates the body to build new fibrous material in the weak ... Dr. Hemwall explained [it] causes the ligaments to become stronger thus eliminating the back pain ...
  4. ^ "Helen Edith Hemwall". Forest Leaves. July 17, 1997. Miss Hemwall was born Jan. 16, 1913 in Chicago. She was a graduate of Austin High School and Northwestern University, where she was a member of Phi Chi ... Miss Hemwall was the sister of Dr. Gustave (Helen) Hemwall of Oak Park and the late ... died July 12 in West Suburban Hospital Medical Center, Oak Park. ...
  5. ^ a b "Gustav Anders Hemwall". Forest Leaves. December 9, 1998. A memorial service for physician Gustav Anders Hemwall will be held at 1 p.m. January 9 in Calvary Church, 931 Lake St., Oak Park. ... He was born Oct. 24, 1908 in Chicago, to his Swedish immigrant parents, the late Anders and Sigrid, nee Larsson, Hemwall. He married Helen M. Moore on July ... Dr. Hemwall served his country with the Army Medical Corps during World War II from late 1942 to May 1946, achieving the rank of major. ...
  6. ^ Ross A. Hauser (23 February 2012). "JOP Dedication and Award Recognizing the Accomplishments of Gustav Anders Hemwall, MD". Journal of Prolotherapy. Retrieved 2014-10-28. He started the Hackett Foundation in 1969, which was committed to promoting Prolotherapy and training doctors in Prolotherapy. ...

Further reading

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