SURGERY 



Following the Napoleonic wars there was a rapid ad- 

 vance in the French school of surgery, and Paris became 

 the center of graduate study for the entire world. 



DUPUYTREN (1777-1835) was the most illustrious 

 French surgeon of the first half of the century. His 

 clinics at the Hotel-Dieu drew students from all coun- 

 tries. His most lasting contributions were in the field 

 of surgical pathology. He was the first accurately to 

 describe contracture of the palmar fascia and fracture 

 about the ankle joint. His treatises on Injuries and 

 Diseases of the Bones and Lemons Orales were extensively 

 translated. VELPEAU (1795-1867) was a great operating 

 surgeon, who wrote the first detailed treatise on Surgical 

 Anatomy; a three- volume treatise on Operative Surgery, 

 and an extensive work on Diseases of the Breast, were 

 also among his writings. VELPEAU 's bandage for fixa- 

 tion of the arm is familiar to every medical student. 

 MALGAIGNE (1806-65) was well known for his work in 

 experimental surgery, especially on the healing of frac- 

 tures. His treatise and atlas on fractures and disloca- 

 tions remained a classic for many years. He is described 

 by Billings as "the greatest surgical historian and critic 

 whom the world has yet seen." His historical writings 

 dealt especially with the Hippocratic period, and with 

 the works of Ambroise PARE, the most famous surgeon 

 of the 1 6th century, who at the siege of Damvilliers, in 

 1552, had begun to practise hemostase by ligation. 



1 [Drafting Committee: A. D. BEVAN, University of Chicago; 

 D. B. PHEMISTER, University of Chicago. ED.] 



196 



