David Wendel Yandell

Biography

David Wendel Yandell, born in 1826, was a pioneering Kentucky physician who studied both locally and abroad before returning to teach at the Louisville Medical Institute and serve as a surgeon during the Civil War. His surgical skill and medical writings helped establish Louisville as a center for progressive medical education and care.

He edited leading journals, mentored younger physicians, and remained a trusted voice on public health matters; when he died in 1898 he was honored at Cave Hill Cemetery for his decades of service to patients and students alike.