Health aspects of Arctic exploration – Alaska’s medical history based on the research files of Dr. Robert Fortuine

BACKGROUND: Robert Fortuine provided basic medical care to Alaska Native people, chronicled the Health Aspects of Arctic Exploration and through a number of influential publications, was the first to thoroughly document and analyse Alaska’s Medical History. This overview of his published work will provide the reader with a detailed overview, so that they can begin to explore Dr. Fortuine’s many published works in more detail. OBJECTIVE: This review will explore Alaska’s Medical History and the Health Aspects of Arctic Exploration through the research files and the 10 most significant publications of Dr. Robert Fortuine. DESIGN: Review of Dr. Fortuine’s major works and the master bibliography has over 3,000 references and 81 subjects. The master bibliography is a merger of 55 separate bibliographies, which provides a wealth of bibliographic information. This paper will describe his 10 most significant publications, 2 of which began as a journal issue. RESULTS: Dr. Fortuine was a prolific writer throughout his career, publishing 134 articles and books. He wrote papers and books on Alaska’s medical history, tuberculosis and health care delivery from Russian–America through the Public Health Service efforts in the territory and then the State of Alaska. The master bibliography has over 3,000 references and 81 subjects. This list has a significant number of entries for tuberculosis with almost one-third of the entries including this heading. Others dwell on the history of “pre-contact” health, the history of Alaska Native health care, the history of the Alaska Department of Health, especially the tuberculosis programme, the role of the US Public Health Service and traditional medicine. He completely reviewed every Governors’ and the US Surgeon General’s reports in regard to Alaska content. This paper describes his 10 most significant publications. CONCLUSIONS: Robert Fortuine’s published works offer a wealth of information and insight into Alaska’s Medical History and the Health Aspects of Arctic Exploration. As is probably true for many historians, he began small, creating a bibliography and adapting a talk before tackling his first full-length book. Readers who sample his many works will be enriched and enlightened.