Myrtelle Canavan

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Myrtelle Canavan
Born	June 24, 1879 St. John's, Michigan, USA
Died	1953
Citizenship	United States
Fields	Medicine
Alma mater	University of Michigan and Women's College of Pennsylvania
Known for	First published description of Canavan Disease

Myrtelle May Canavan (June 24, 1879 - 1953) was an American physician. She is best known for publishing a description of Canavan Disease in 1931. Dr. Canavan was a friend of both Lillian Moller Gilbreth, and Frank Bunker Gilbreth, both of whom were extremely influential in industrial efficiency studies and the human and physical engineering involved labor saving efforts.1 Both of the Gilbreths are now better known for being the parents on which "Cheaper by the Dozen" was based. Dr. Canavan had been a summer school student of Mr. Gilbreth's, and was visited at her laboratory by Gilbreth and his children a few years before his death. He had mentioned wanting his brain to go to her research after his death. Dr. Canavan performed the autopsy on Mr. Gilbreth, and diagnosed the arteriosclerosis which had killed him.1 Lillian Gilbreth left for a conference in Europe as they had planned five days after his death, returning some weeks later. The day after her return, Dr. Gilbreth went to Boston to stay some days with Mytelle Canavan, before she went on to see her children.1