Weeks graduated from the University of Michigan in 1899 with a medical degree . He moved to San Francisco , California , where he became a surgeon . He was in that city at the time of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire . From 1912 until 1919 ( except for the time in military service ) , he was the chief surgeon of San Francisco 's emergency hospital service . For many years , he also served as a professor of surgery at the University of California Medical School . He was also " credited with developing many surgical procedures " which became common practice
1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
Alanson Weeks