Dr. George R. Nagamatsu
Founder of the Engineering & Urology Society
Dr. George R. Nagamatsu was born Seattle, Washington in 1904. He graduated Washington University Engineering School in 1926 with highest honors. His unquenching desire as a humanitarian inspired him to pursue a medical education, and he graduated New York Medical College in 1934.
In 1957 he was the first Nisei (American-born of Japanese ancestry) Chairman of Urology in a major medical school (New York Medical College). He attained international prominence in 1948 for the Nagamatsu Dorsal Lumbar Incision, which is still used for large retroperitoneal masses.
He was president of the AUA, New York Section, in 1967, representative for the AUA at the National AMA Convention in 1968, Chairman of the Biomedical Devices of the AUA in 1974, Consultant to the Armed Forces for Biomedical Devices, 1974-1978.
In 1950 he was the American Japanese Medical Ambassador and is considered the major contributor to Japanese urologic prominence in the last fifty years.
He was the founder of the Japanese Medical Society and the Engineering & Urology Society.
He was a member of AOA (National Medical Honor Society), Tau Beta Pi, (National Engineering Honor Society), and he received the Citizens Award in 1979 from New York Section of the AUA in 1987, the Golden Kane Award of the National AUA in 1989, and he was honored by the Emperor of Japan with the Order of the Treasure Second Class (the highest honor which can be obtained by a civilian in Japan) in 1981.
Dr. George R. Nagamatsu contributed greatly, and has been a beacon of humanitarian light to his friends, students and colleagues.
He died in New York City on October 24, 2001 at the age of 97.
Goodbye to a great American.
