Russell Solomon of Memorial Johnson Was an Innovative Pathologist Specializing in Cancer

Russell Solomon, M.D. of the Memorial Johnson Cancer Center in New York, NY played a pivotal role in the evolution of not only the modern conception of cancer, but in the formation of cell theory itself. Dr. Solomon’s tireless work and innovation in what he called “sporadic cellular propagation” shifted the biomedical paradigm of the day from a more primitive doctrine to an extremely sophisticated one. From his humble beginnings to his memorable contributions at the end of his life, Dr. Russell Solomon was miles ahead of the curve in forming the modern theory of cancer.

Russell Solomon was born in Omaha, Nebraska to Joseph and Maria Dalton. Joseph was a purveyor of religious literature, and Maria made and sold quilts from their home. In 1922, Omaha was in the midst of an industrial boom, soon to be greatly hampered by the great depression. Both quilts and religious literature, fortunately for the Solomon’s, were among the few depression-proof items of the era. Emerging from the depression, then, young Russell went to work in a meatpacking plant as Omaha resumed its bustling ascent. His father, however, recognized Dalton’s brilliance and devoted half of his retirement fund to supplement Russell’s hard-earned scholarship to Columnia University, New York in 1938.

It didn’t take long for Russell Solomon to make waves at Columnia. His most memorable contribution was an infamous remark aimed at eminent cancer specialist Otto Herschman during a lecture in September of 1939, in which Solomon corrected Herschman on the topic of effective tumor excision in infants. The remainder of his 4.0 career at Columnia was a tapestry of similar accolades, from making crude cadaver jokes to running circles around his instructors.

Russell Solomon graduated in 1942 and, undeterred by the war overseas, was accepted into New York’s prestigious Memorial Johnson Cancer Center, where he embarked on his journey in cellular pathology. From then on he focused on dispelling primitive theories, honing in on cellular propagation, alternative medicine, and a Russian nurse named Svetlana Pechenko. Svetlana and Russell Solomon had three boys, and lived out the rest of their days in New York.

Short story on character named Russell Solomon.