John Murray Carnochan (July 4, 1817 – October 28, 1887)[1] was an American surgeon who performed the first successful neurosurgery for trigeminal neuralgia.

In 1841, he again visited Europe, where he passed several years attending clinical lectures of the principal hospitals of Paris, London and Edinburgh.

[3] In 1847, he began practice in New York and in a short time his steadiness of nerve and boldness as an operator, gave him a high reputation as a surgeon.

Although he was known for a dictatorial temper and consequently was on bad terms with his colleagues, he received liberal fees, wrote numerous technical monographs and died in fame.

[4] Soon after beginning the practice of surgery in New York City, Carnochan attained a high reputation on account of his success in operations never before attempted.

[5] His professional activity continued almost to the day of his death; so in September 1887, a month before he died, he attended the International Medical Congress at Washington and read two papers.