Ludwig Guttmann (1899-1980) and David Ben Gurion (1886-1973): an early account of the rehabilitation facilities in Israel.

Ludwig Guttmann in 1944 at Stoke Mandeville Hospital established comprehensive care of spinal patients. His methods were extremely successful and he was responsible for the establishment of the comprehensive treatment of spinal injuries throughout Europe and large areas of the world. He was a Jew who had fled Nazi Germany, and he evinced strong loyalty to the State of Israel. In December 1949, he was invited by the Government of Israel to visit and advise on the status of rehabilitation of casualties who had suffered neurological injuries in the War of Independence (1948-49). His work is mentioned in his correspondence with Prime Minister Ben Gurion as well as in the Prime Minister's diaries. This episode offers a unique insight into Guttmann's approach to rehabilitation in his early years.