Surgery

Surgery. The art of surgery had already attained a high degree of development in many countries some centuries before the Christian era, as is evidenced by Sanscrit manuscripts and the works of Hippocrates, and to a less notable extent by Egyptian and Chinese writings. The Hindoos and Greeks were familiar with, and described, most of the forms of fracture and dislocation which are recognised at the present day. The operations of laparotomy and lithotomy were occasionally performed by them; aneurism and the forms of hernia were recognised. The want of knowledge of anatomy, due to the fact that systematic dissection was not practised, and the absence of satisfactory methods of dealing with bleeding vessels, considerably limited, however, the scope of the operator in ancient times. A compendium of the surgical knowledge which grew up in the course of succeeding centuries is furnished in that part of the work produced by Paulus of AEgina which deals with surgery. This book was written in the 7th century and for some centuries after its appearance but little further progress resulted. The more remarkable additions to surgical practice date from comparatively recent times. The growth of knowledge with respect to anatomy and physiology in the 17th and 18th centuries led to a great advance being made, the names of Wiseman, who lived in the 17th century, and of John Hunter, who lived in the 18th century, being especia1ly noteworthy among tbose of Englishmen who contributed to this advance. In the 19th century the discovery of anaesthetics revolutionised surgical practice, and acceptance of the germ theory of disease and development of the antiseptic treatment of wounds have in recent years worked remarkable changes in the scope and results of operative treatment.