Petit was the first director of the Académie de Chirurgie, Paris. He is particularly remembered for his work on bone diseases. He invented the screw tourniquet, gave the first account of osteomalacia, and was first to open the mastoid process. New edition entitled Traité des maladies des os, 2 vols., 1723; English translation of latter, 1726. See Nos. 3357 & 3577.

The first book specifically on orthopedics, which term Andry himself introduced. He advised attention to proper posture in the prevention and correction of spinal curvature; he had a practical knowledge of body mechanics. This is also the first book on diseases of children to include mention of chlorosis. English translation, 2 vols., 1743, reproduced in facsimile, Philadelphia, 1961. German translation, Berlin, 1744.

Platner affirmed the tuberculous nature of humpback, which had earlier been surmised by Hippocrates and confirmed by Galen.

The first formally published pamphlet (45pp.) on podiatry or chiropody. Rousselot argued that podiatry should become a specialty of surgery. Author's first name is unknown. Digital facsimile from BnF Gallica at this link.

First description of cleido-cranial dysostosis.

Includes a description of Pott’s disease, with post-mortem findings, better than Pott’s own account. This is an important early work on the effect of movement and of rest in the treatment of joint conditions. English translation, 1790.

“Pott’s disease”. Percival Pott, surgeon to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital for more than 40 years, left a classic description of spinal curvature due to tuberculous caries and causing paralysis of the lower limbs. He did not, however, recognize its tuberculous nature. Pott published a further book on the subject in 1782. Reprinted in Med. Classics, 1936, 1, 281-328.

In his doctoral thesis Ekman gave an account of osteogenesis imperfecta in three generations. For extensive translation see No. 4404.1. K.S. Seedorff, Osteogenesis imperfecta, Copenhagen, 1949.

Venel stressed the necessity for prolonged periods of recumbency, rather than exercise, in the correction of spinal curvature. He invented a corset and extension bed for treating spinal deformities. His extension bed gave an entirely new direction to treatment and was widely adopted. In 1790 he founded at Orbe, Switzerland, the first orthopedic hospital. The pamphlet was reprinted in Mém. Soc. Sci. phys. Lausanne, 2, 66-, 197-. (1789). Digital facsimile of the 1788 pamphlet from Google Books at this link.

Classic discussion of childhood shoe-induced deformities. There was also an edition in Dutch published the same year. Digital facsimile of the edition in French from the Internet Archive at this link. English translation in Dowie, The foot and its covering, London, 1861. Digital facsimile of Downie's book from the Internet Archive at this link.

Achondroplasia is first described on page 30 and pictured on plate 11. English translation in No. 2241.

One of the first attempts at a complete and detailed description of necrosis. Russell was the first Professor of Clinical Surgery at Edinburgh.

First accurate description of the pathological anatomy of congenital club-foot. English translation, Edinburgh, 1818.

Hey is remembered for “Hey’s saw” and “Hey’s internal derangement of the knee,” a phrase that he coined. He was an outstanding surgeon in his day; he founded and was senior surgeon of the General Infirmary, Leeds. He devised a type of amputation of the foot (“Hey’s amputation”). His book includes the description of the falciform ligament of the saphenous opening, “Hey’s ligament”. Hey described subacute osteomyelitis of the tibia before Brodie (No. 4311). He may have become interested in the knee after banging his own knee while getting out of a bath in 1773. He remained lame for the rest of his life. 

By his advocacy of absolute rest in the horizontal position without the aid of caustics and setons, Baynton can be said to have introduced the modern treatment of spinal caries in England. The book is dedicated to Edward Jenner.

Classic description of achondroplasia. Romberg’s graduation thesis. English translation (Sydenham Society), 1853.

Brodie’s best work. It includes his description of hysterical pseudo-fracture of the spine and the first clinical description of ankylosing spondylitis. The fifth edition, 1850, gives (p. 77) a description of “Brodie’s disease” – chronic synovitis with a pulpy degeneration of the affected parts.

Delpech's work includes the first account of rhinoplasty in France. On 4 June 1823, Delpech performed the first of six cases of rhinoplasty by the Indian forehead flap method, and one (unsuccessful) with a flap from the arm following von Graefe (No. 5738). Delpech also was the first to restore the lower lip by means of a skin graft from the throat.

Delpech devoted pp. 147-231 of vol. 1 to Considerations sur la difformité appelé pied-bots. In this he described on pp. 184-192 the beneficial effect of section of the tendo Achillis for club-foot; he performed the operation on May 9, 1816, and although not first to do so, he was the first to demonstrate the value of tenotomy in the correction of contracture deformities of the extremities.

Classic early account of osteomyelitis. Smith trephined for bone necrosis. Reproduced in Med. Classics, 1937, 1, 820-38.

“Brodie’s abscess”. The patient was first seen in 1824. Brodie published an account of some further cases in Med.-chir. Trans., 1832, 17, 239-49, which paper is reprinted in Med. Classics, 1938, 2, 900-06.

Delpech, Professor of Surgery at Montpellier, published a comprehensive treatise on deformities of the bones and joints. He established the tuberculous nature of Pott’s disease. Delpech did more than any other man toward the development of orthopedics in France.

Randolph was the son-in-law of Philip Syng Physick. Physick’s method “consisted in the application of a carved splint, which would keep the limb strictly at rest, and prevent the least possible motion of the joint; and also in the prosecution of a course of active and long continued purging”.

The first American treatise on orthopedics. In his autobiography Gross wrote that, “The title was unfortunate; it should have been A practical treatise on fractures and dislocations, with an account of the diseases of the bones and joints”.

Dupuytren devised an operation for the treatment of contracture of the palmar fascia (“Dupuytren’s contracture”). Reprinted, with translation, in Med. Classics, 1939, 4, 127-50. The condition was first mentioned by Platter, No. 4297.9.

Includes a historical review of the subject from the time of the Ancient Egyptians to Corvisart, and a summary of the advances in pathology during the preceding 50 years. Vol. 2, pp. 553-600 deals with diseases of the arteries. Lobstein wrote an important section on ossification of arteries, and was first to use the word “arteriosclérose” (on p. 550). Vol. 2, pp. 204-12  "De la fragilité des os, ou de l’ostéopsathyrose" describes osteopsathyrosis (“Lobstein’s disease”), osteogenesis imperfecta, earlier described by Ekman (No. 4304.1).

First description of “Rust’s disease” – tuberculous spondylitis of the cervical vertebrae.

Successful tenotomy for clubfoot established the reputation of Stromeyer as an orthopedic surgeon.

Stromeyer is the founder of modern surgery of the locomotor system. He advocated and practised subcutaneous tenotomy for all deformities of the body arising from muscular defects.

Pp. 455-61: Dupuytren was the first to treat wry neck by subcutaneous section of the sternomastoid muscle. This he did on 16 Jan, 1822. The operation was first reported in C. Averill: Short treatise on operative surgery, London, 1823, 61-64. See No. 5590.

Little suffered from club-foot himself. This is the greatest English classic on the subject. See No. 4329.

Brown was the first surgeon in the United States to specialize in orthopedics, founding the Orthopedic Infirmary of the City of Boston (soon renamed the Boston Orthopedic Institution) in 1838. Brown was also the first in New England to popularize tenotomies for club–feet.

Report on 140 cases of tenotomy for treatment of club-foot.

First description of operation for partial excision of scapula.

Buck’s operation, “one of the more spectacular surgical feats by an American surgeon in the first half of the nineteenth century” (Rutkow). The paper is reprinted in Med. Classics, 1939, 3, 791-99.

Durlacher, surgeon chiropodist to Queen Victoria, gave the first description of anterior metatarsalgia (p. 52), to which the name “Morton’s metatarsalgia” has been given (see No. 4341). Digital facsimile from the Internet Archive at this link.

Report of the histological examination of bone material containing multiple myeloma from the patient described by Macintyre (No. 4327).

Bence Jones described the myelopathic albumosuria (Bence Jones proteinuria) seen in Macintyre’s patient (No. 4327). Preliminary notes in Lancet, 1847, 2, 88, and Proc. roy. Soc. Lond., 1847, 5, 673.

Complete excision of the scapula.

Multiple myeloma first described.

Introduction of the modern plaster of Paris bandage. Two different French translations of the above work were published in journals in 1852-53. In 1854 Mathijsen published two separate expanded French versions, of which that published in Liège was illustrated. The original edition plus the Liège version were reprinted with an introduction and bibliography, by G.J. Bremer, Nieuwkoop, 1962. English translation in Bick, Classics of orthopaedics, 66-71.

Little was the first eminent orthopedic surgeon in the British Isles. He studied under Stromeyer and, in 1838, he founded the Orthopaedic Institution, now the (Royal) National Orthopaedic Hospital, London. The above work is an elaboration of lectures delivered in 1843.

Early description of progressive muscular dystrophy (p. 14).

First description of osteoperiostitis of the metatarsal bones, named “Busquet’s disease” after the latter’s description of it in Rev. Chir. (Paris), 1897, 17, 1065.

Resection of the hip for ankylosis.

First description of congenital high-scapula “Sprengel’s deformity”; see also No. 4359.

Congenital metatarsus varus described.

Before emigrating to America, Bauer studied under Stromeyer. Hugh Owen Thomas considered him “the first exponent of American orthopaedics”. This is the first comprehensive American textbook of orthopedics. First published in Phila. med. surg. Rep., 1862.

First description of osteitis fibrosa cystica – hyperparathyroid bone disease, also known as “von Recklinghausen’s disease of bone”.

A valuable contribution to the knowledge and surgical treatment of diseases of the knee-joint.

Ollier pioneered research in bone allografting.

Charcot called attention to tabetic arthropathy, a condition which has since borne his name, while the tabetic joints he so well described are now known as “Charcot’s joints”.

A classic account of osteitis deformans. Wilks was associated with Guy’s Hospital all his life. A kindly, charming man, he was described by Osler as one of the handsomest men in London in his time, even until the age of 70.

“Wegner’s disease” – osteochondritic separation of the epiphyses in congenital syphilis.

The first work on manipulation written by a physician. Digital facsimile from the Medical Heritage Library, Internet Archive, at this link.

“Frozen shoulder” syndrome described.

Thomas splint. Enlarged second edition, 1876. See No. 4348.

First complete description of anterior metatarsalgia (“Morton’s disease”). See also No. 4325.

“Baker’s cysts” of the knee-joint. Reprinted in Med. Classics, 1941, 5, 785-820.

See Nos. 4344 & 4344.1.

Paget was at one time Sergeant Surgeon to Queen Victoria. His classic description of osteitis deformans led that condition to be called “Paget’s disease”. Reprinted in Med. Classics, 1936, 1, 29-71.

Sayre was the first to use plaster of Paris as a support for the spinal column in scoliosis and Pott’s disease. His name is eponymically linked with Sayre’s jacket, a plaster of Paris jacket applied while the patient is suspended by the head and axillae, and with Sayre’s suspension apparatus, a tripod derrick with rope and pulley for head traction during the application of a plaster of Paris jacket.

Sayre’s monograph on his methods of treating tuberculosis of the spine and scoliosis is the first American surgical textbook to contain actual mounted photographs, some of which are remarkable for their artistic qualities. The book was first published in London while Sayre was a delegate to the British Medical Congress. The virtually identical American edition was published in Philadelphia by Lippincott, also in 1877.

“Madelung’s deformity” of the wrist. Madelung regarded the condition as a defect of growth of the wrist joint.

First comprehensive work on bone sarcoma.

Helferich described the association of microdactyly with myositis ossificans progressiva.

First allograft transplantation of bone in humans.

Albert introduced the concept of joint arthrodesis into orthopedic surgery. This is the first description of arthrodesis of an ankle for paralytic foot. English translation in Bick, Classics of orthopaedics, 52-54.

Thomas was the veritable founder of modern orthopedics in the British Isles. The conservative methods introduced by him were developed by Sir Robert Jones. Thomas is remembered eponymically by the “Thomas splint”.

Strümpell gave an excellent description of ankylosing spondylitis (“Strümpell’s disease”, the “spondylose rhizomélique” of Pierre Marie, No. 4368) on p. 152 of his Lehrbuch. See No. 2229. He published an important paper on the subject in Dtsch. Z. Nervenheilk., 1897, 11, 338-42, which was translated into English in Bick, Classics of orthopaedics, 345-47. More than 30 editions of this book appeared, many translated into other languages. English translation in 1887.

König of Göttingen was the first to use the term “osteochondritis dissecans”.

“Kahler’s disease” – multiple myeloma.

“Ollier’s disease”. He described a form of dyschondroplasia.

Includes a description of the “Bradford frame”, used in the treatment of spinal disorders.

Original description of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, sometimes called “Bamberger–Marie disease”.

Hoffa’s method of operative treatment of congenital dislocation of the hip-joint.

Hoffa, a leading German orthopedist, made important contributions to the subject and founded the Zeitschrift für orthopädische Chirurgie.

“Kümmell’s disease”. He described a form of traumatic spondylitis.

Recklinghausen gave an important description of generalized osteitis fibrosa. His reference to the earlier case reported by Engel (see No. 4335) has led to this condition being sometimes referred to as “Engel–Recklinghausen disease” or “von Recklinghausen’s disease of bone”.

Classic description of “Sprengel’s deformity”, a congenital upward displacement of the scapula.

“In a case of fracture-dislocation of the cervical spine (C 6-7) he [Hadra] performed open reduction, twisting metal wires around the spinous processes to stabilize the injured sector” (Bick). This is the first report of any type of spinal surgical immobilization being planned and successfully carried out.

First spinal fusion.

Bechterev’s disease – ankylosing spondylitis, previously described by Strümpell. A German translation of the paper is in Neurol. Zbl., 1893, 12, 426-34.

First study of the cartilage changes in achondroplasia.

First description of “Klippel’s disease”, arthritic general pseudoparalysis.

First successful tendon transplantation.

Tendo Achilles bursitis, “Albert’s disease”.

Total prosthetic replacement of shoulder (p. 291) using an artificial joint made of hardened rubber and platinum. English translation in Bick, Classics of orthopaedics, 443-46.

Lorenz suggested a bloodless method for closed reduction of congenital dislocation of the hip-joint – the “Hoffa–Lorenz” method.

“Marfan syndrome”. Marfan described only the skeletal deformities. He called the condition dolichostenomelia. Later writers recorded bilateral ectopia lentis and cardiovascular complications in this syndrome.

Includes a valuable discussion of congenital anomalies of the bones and joints from the orthopedic point of view. Greatly expanded second edition, 2 vols., London, 1912.

“Bruck’s disease” – deformity of bones, multiple fractures, ankylosis of joints, and muscular atrophy.

Marie described as “spondylose rhizomélique” the ankylosing spondylitis or spondylitis deformans originally reported by Strümpell and called variously “Strümpell’s disease”, “Bechterev’s disease”, “Marie’s disease”.

In their important description of cleido-cranial dysostosis, Marie and Sainton gave to it its present name. It was first described by Morand (No. 4302.1) in 1760. English translation in Bick, Classics of orthopaedics, 230-32.

“Kienböck’s atrophy” – acute atrophy of bone in inflammatory conditions of the extremities.

Use of iodoform to plug bone defects.

First description of osteosclerosis fragilis, marble bones (“Albers-Schönberg disease”).

Osgood was the first to draw attention to a condition of the tibial tuberosity; this is now referred to as “Osgood–Schlatter disease” (see also No. 4374).

“Osgood–Schlatter disease”. A further description of the painful affection of the tibial tuberosity first noted by Osgood.

First description of platyspondylia.

First attempt at surgical lengthening of limbs.

Büdinger was the first to describe pathological fracture of the cartilage of the patella. See also his later paper in the same journal, 1908, 92, 510-36. Later descriptions by Karl Ludloff, Verh. dtsch. Ges. Chir., 1910, 223-25, and by Arthur Laewen, Beitr. klin. Chir., 1925, 134, 265-307, led to the eponym “Büdinger–Ludloff–Laewen disease”.

Looser’s syndrome.

“Köhler’s disease” of the scaphoid bone of the foot in children. See No. 4387.

First osteoarticular joint transplant. English translation in Clin. orthop., 1985, 197, 1-10. See also his paper, "Substitution of whole or half joints from freshly amputated extremities by free plastic operation," Surg. Gynec. Obstet., 1908, 6, 601-07.

Kirschner wire, for skeletal traction, and for stabilization of bone fragments or joint immobilization.

First description of a slowly progressive osteonecrosis of the lunate bone of the wrist; carpal lunate malacia. (“Kienböck’s disease”).

Juvenile osteochondritis deformans (“Calvé–Legg–Perthes disease”; see also Nos. 4381 and 4382.). Previously described by H. Waldenström, Z. orthop. Chir., 1909, 24, 486.

See No. 4380.

See No. 4380.

Goldthwait suggested that lumbago and sciatica might be due to intervertebral disc injury.

Spinal fusion first used for the treatment of scoliosis.

Report of a case of “sciatica” due to rupture of an intervertebral disc.

The beginning of bone graft surgery as a planned, carefully designed procedure. Albee was the first to employ living bone grafts as internal splints. See No. 5757.

First description of cranio-facial dysostosis, hypertelorism (Crouzon's syndrome).

“Klippel–Feil syndrome” – absence or incomplete development of cervical vertebrae. English translation in Bick, Classics of orthopaedics, 511-16.

The first comprehensive treatise on hand surgery, and the classic work on tendon and bursal hand spaces relevant to management of hand infections. Kanavel developed the method of forcible injection of radio-opaque material into tendon sheaths and fascial spaces of the hand; this enabled him to find a definite and constant pattern in the way that infectious material spread from sheath to space, and to drain infected areas without damage to important structures. Kanavel's classic work "did more to awaken the surgical conscience to the anatomic intricacies of hand surgery than did almost any other single contribution" (Bick). Kanavel put the work through seven editions between 1912 and 1933. Each successive edition of Kanavel's work bears substantial revisions; together these editions show the evolution of hand surgery over its first twenty years. Boyes, On the Shoulders of Giants, pp. 170-72.

Darrach procedure for problems of the distal ulna.

First definitive description of osteopoikilosis.

“Froment’s sign” of ulnar nerve paralysis.

Mayer’s method of tendon transfer, using tendon sheaths to preserve the gliding surfaces.

“Köhler’s second disease” – juvenile deforming metatarsophalangeal Osteochondritis. English translation in Amer. J. Roentgenol., 1923, 10,705-10. Also known as “Freiberg’s infraction” or “Freiberg–Köhler disease”.

Ewing described a form of bone sarcoma (“Ewing’s sarcoma”), usually involving the shaft of long bones.

“Léri’s pleonosteosis” first described.

First published account of the use of the laparoscope for arthroscopy.

“Scheuermann’s disease” – necrosis of the epiphyses of the vertebrae, causing kyphosis.

With Tixier, Hue, and Kermorgant.

Jones was a pupil of Hugh Owen Thomas and a pioneer of active surgical intervention in orthopedics. He advocated tendon transplantation, bone grafting, and other reconstructive and restorative procedures. He did much valuable work during the war of 1914-18, and he is one of the greatest figures in British orthopedics.

First description of hypertelorism as a separate entity.

The first sustained attempt to relieve osteoarthrosis of the hip by surgical means other than fusion.

Based on material collected by the Registry of Bone Sacrcoma in Boston since its foundation in 1921.

Jansen’s theory of dissociation of bone growth.

“Engelmann’s disease”,  also known as "Camurati-Engelmann disease" — a very rare autosomal dominant genetic disorder that causes characteristic anomalies in the skeleton. It is a form of dysplasia, causing osteosclerosis. See No. 7832.

Maxwell showed osteomalacia to be due to lack of vitamin D.

“Morquio’s disease”, eccentro-osteochondrodysplasia.

Morquio–Brailsford disease (see No. 4397).

“Milkman’s syndrome”.

Larrey observed the therapeutic effect of maggots on wounds; W. S. Baer inaugurated the method of treating osteomyelitis by this means (“Baer therapy”).