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Surgery: examples of developments over time
Further examples will be added as my pupils progress through the course.
| The Prehistoric period |
Trephined
skulls are amongst the archaeological finds in Peru.
Aboriginal
medical practices show us how prehistoric man may have dealt with
wounds, cysts and broken bones.
Human
remains from the period show us that surgery was performed and
that on many occasions it would have been effective.
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| The Ancient World |
Babylon: The
Laws of Hammurabi refer to use of bronze instruments to perform
operations on the eye (c2000BC)
The Papyrus
Edwin Smith cites 48 examples of traumatic injury cases and the
treatments prescribed for them. This includes use of surgery.
The Mummification process
shows that Egyptian physicians were aware of some of the working of
the human body and that they were capable of removing organs.
The
Papyrus Ebers has a section on removing tumours.
Greek writings refer to some operations. These are largely external
operations such as the removal of arrowheads.
Healers at temples dedicated to Asclepius used a variety of cures
including using non poisonous snakes to bite into infected areas.
Surgeons at the Gladiatiatorial games developed new skills as different
types of weapon were used. Galen's ideas about surgery were formed
in his time working with Gladiators.
In Alexandria dissection was
permitted at times.
Indian
doctors are known to have removed gall stones during the Ancient
period.
Indian doctors are known to have performed skin
grafts in ancient times.
The importance of the Roman army led to Surgeons being better trained
and more experienced.
Galen
wrote about surgical techniques and undertook vivisection on animals
to acquire more knowledge.
2nd century AD, Greece: Aretaeus
is recorded as having performed invasive surgery on an abscess on
or near the liver.
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| Medieval |
John
Arderne was a surgeon who gained experience of treating gunpowder
wounds during the Hundred Years war. He also wrote about the use of
hemlock as an anaesthetic.
Theodoric
of Lucca was one of the first surgeons to challenge Ancient ideas.
In particular he wrote about the need for Pus to be allowed to develop
and for the need to clean wounds.
Wound
Man illustrations are used by battlefield surgeons.
14th century, London:
A Guild of Surgeons within the city of London’ is formed.
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| The Renaissance |
Ligatures
begin to replace the use of cauterisation on amputated patients.
Pare
uses ointments for gunshot wounds.
Richard
Wiseman develops surgical methods at the time of the English Civil
Wars.
C1620, London: obstetric forceps are invented by Peter
Chamberlain.
C1667: attempts are made to replace blood
lost in surgery with that of a sheep.
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| Industrial Revolution |
1799: Humphrey Davy notes the anaethetic qualities of ‘laughing
gas’
1844, America: ‘Laughing Gas’ used as a painkiller in
a dental operation for the first time.
1847, Scotland. James Simpson uses Chloroform as an anaesthetic for
the first time.
1848. Hannah Greener, aged 15, dies whilst under chloroform. This
leads to widespread condemnation of the use of anaesthetics.
1853, England. Queen Victoria is given chloroform during childbirth,
an action which massively reduces opposition to the use of anaesthetics.
1861, France. Pasteur makes the link between microbes and disease.
Visualise this idea transmitting throughout Europe, leading to...
1865, Glasgow. Joseph Lister makes use of carbolic acid as an antiseptic
spray designed to reduce infection.
1878, Germany. Robert Koch discovers the microbes that cause wounds
to go septic.
1886
19th century, western Europe and North America: Direct Blood transfusions
are attempted as a means of replacing lost blood. They are highly
dangerous and many patients do not survive.
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| The Modern World |
1901, Austria: Karl Landsteiner discovers that there are 4 blood
groups. This leads to safer blood transfusions.
1967, South Africa: Dr Christiaan Barnard performs the first heart
transplant.
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