T 120 ] : 
manifeft advantage over thofe of earlier ages; fo that I may 
venture to affirm, that by the conftruction and workmanthip of 
the inftruments (joined to the afliftance the operator derives from 
a knowledge of anatomy) more lives amongft the objects of fur- 
gery are at this day faved than in times paft in fimilar cafes. 
Ir we look into the works of the old writers on the fcience of 
furgery, and examine the inftructions handed down to us by 
them, for the performance of the principal operations, with the 
defcriptions they have given us of the inftruments they em-. 
ployed, we cannot wonder if many of their patients as often 
perifhed by the ill fuccefs of their operations as by the maladies 
they attempted to remedy or remove. Notwithftending (* as Mr. 
Pott juftly obferves) they were well acquainted with the neceflity 
of operations, yet, wanting the afliftance of the ingenious me- 
chanic to form their inftruments, their intentions of affording 
relief to their patients were frequently fruftrated. 
In’the prefent century, though the mode of performing moft 
of the capital operations in furgery, and the inftruments proper 
for each, have undergone very confiderable improvements and 
alterations, yet there feems to be room left for purfuing this ufe- 
ful branch of the healing art fomewhat further, particularly in 
the operation of trepanning, or perforating the cranium, which 
has continued to be effected with inftruments fabricated nearly 
in 
* Pott’s Works, Vol. I. page 122. 
