Born 13 September 1876 at Lebanon, Kentucky, USA, the son of Irvin Abell and Sarah S Rogers his wife. He was educated at St Mary's College, Louisville, and the University of Louisville Medical School, where he graduated in 1897. He was assistant in surgery in the Louisville Medical School 1900-08, professor 1908-23, and clinical professor from 1923, and later a trustee of the school. At the same time he was surgeon to the City Hospital, the Children's Free Hospital and St Joseph's Infirmary. During the first world war he was lieutenant-colonel in charge of No 59 American Army Base Hospital in France 1917-18. Abell took a prominent part in many national societies: he was a member of the American Surgical and Urological Associations, and a vice-president of the American Gastro-enterological Association. He was president successively of the Kentucky State Medical Association, the Southern Surgical Association, the Southern Medical Association, and the American Medical Association. He was a foundation Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and became chairman of its Board of Regents. As holder of this position, and in honour of his surgical achievement, he was elected an Honorary Fellow of the English College in 1947. During the second world war Abell was a colonel in the US Medical Reserve Corps. He was a director of the Fidelity and Columbia Trust Company and of the Commonwealth Life Insurance Company. Abell married in 1907 Carrie C Harting, who survived him with three sons. He practised at 321 West Broadway, Louisville, and lived at 1433 Third Street. Here he died on 28 August 1949, aged 72.