Surgery Gallery

Calots spinal surgery, 19th century

Calot's spinal surgery, 19th-century artwork. This operation is being carried out by the French surgeon Jean-Francois Calot (1861-1944) on a condition known as Pott's disease. This curvature of the spine is also known as tuberculous spondylitis, and is caused by tuberculosis (TB). Calot's technique was described in 1896 in a paper he read to the Academy of Medicine in Paris, and the operation is named after him. An orthopaedic institute he founded is also now named after him. Artwork from the 19th volume (first period of 1897) of the French popular science weekly La Science Illustree

© SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Hugh Owen Thomas, Welsh surgeon C016/6299

Hugh Owen Thomas (1834-1891), Welsh surgeon. Thomas is known as the father of orthopaedic surgery. He came from a family of renowned bone-setters, but was the first to receive formal medical training, becoming a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1857. He practiced in Liverpool, specialising in orthopaedic surgery. He developed a number of orthopaedic devices, including the Thomas splint, a type of traction splint that stabilised femur (thigh bone) fractures and prevented infection. The use of the splint by Thomas's nephew during World War I reduced the mortality rate for femur fractures from 80 per cent to 8 per cent

© NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Florence Nightingales carriage at the seat of war

Born in Italy in 1820, she moved to England with her wealthy family and was educated at home by her father. Although it was not deemed suitable for ladies of Florence's social standing to become nurses, she believed that it was God's chosen path for her. She trained in Kaiserswerth, near Dusseldorf and then returned to England to take a post at a Harley Street surgery. Florence Nightingale was sent along with 38 nurses to the Barrack Hospital in Scutari to assist with medical support. As she cared for the troops she gained much respect, writing letters home on the soldiers behalf and fighting to improve the sanitary conditions of the field hospitals. When Florence returned from the Crimea she received a hero's welcome. She published two books about her opinions on hospital reforms and campaigned for better quality nursing training until her death in August 1910

© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10216781