The Halifax explosion and the birth of a surgical specialty-myth or reality.

The work of Dr William E. Ladd after a devastating explosion in Halifax in 1917 has been credited with his decision to devote his subsequent career to the betterment of surgical care for children. He has been recognized as the "father of pediatric surgery" in North America. The authors present a written refutation of this causal association by Dr Ladd. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.