Who’s Who in Orthopedics professorship of orthopedic surgery in his Alma
Mater, the University of Buffalo, for nearly 25 years. His counsel was widely sought and his opinion highly regarded. Numbered among his friends both in his personal and professional life was a noticeable number of young men. They constantly sought and accepted his counsel and guidance. None could be more appreciative of the strength or more understanding of the weakness in men than he. Always kind, understanding, and helpful, he was at all times a gentleman.
He served in World War I and during World War II he was called as a civilian consultant.
There was no activity in his career that he enjoyed as much as this assignment. He continued in this capacity with great sacrifice to his practice and to his health.
Dr. Plummer’s contributions to orthopedic surgery were largely in his teaching and his care of patients. He was not a prolific writer, but the value of his writings was in their merit rather than volume.
Modern orthopedic surgery lost one of its strongest proponents when William Ward Plummer died, February 16, 1953. His 75 years had been well spent, but he paid no heed to them;
he died a young man, regardless of his time of life. He was young in spirit, young in venture, and young in enthusiasm. He died disgusted with his physical infirmities, because they interfered with his mental activities.
273
