Six Degrees of Separation: A Journey through Joint and Personal Connections.

My research on intraneural ganglion cysts has led me on a journey through history to discover a Six Degrees of Separation network, linking my interest in joint connections (of nerve) with personal interconnections. This research took me on an exciting personal journey through the history of neurology, anatomy, and hand and peripheral nerve surgery in Paris, France and New York City. Following famous footsteps like breadcrumbs, my Six Degrees of Separation to Duchenne de Boulogne and Edme François Chauvot de Beauchêne (Beauchêne fils) could be traced through personal connections with leaders including Baron Guillaume Dupuytren, Emanuel Kaplan, J. William Littler, Arthur J. and Hannah Barsky, and my father, Morton Spinner. I hope that this personal story will serve as a source of inspiration for both young and experienced physicians, who may read it with great interest and reflect on their own connections to people and leaders in their fields. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.