History

Percivall Pott (1713-1788): Father of Orthopaedics and Pioneer of Occupational Medicine (2024)

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Type of publication:

Journal article

Author(s):

*Forster, Seth.

Citation:

Cureus. 16(10):e70608, 2024 Oct.

Abstract:

Percivall Pott was an eighteenth-century English surgeon best known for three eponymous diseases: Pott's fracture, Pott's puffy tumour and Pott's disease of the spine. He wrote extensively, with treatises covering a wide range of surgical subjects, including cataracts, cranial trauma, hernias
and neurology. Pott's practice came at a time when surgery was being transformed from the work of barbers into a scientific study. His publications had a wide-reaching impact, influencing contemporary practice and setting out building blocks for the work of those who came after him. This article aims to explore the life and career of Percivall Pott, looking in particular at his influence on the subjects of orthopaedics and occupational medicine.

Friedrich Berthold Reinke (1862-1919): brilliant yet troubled anatomist of the vocal fold (2015)

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Type of publication:
Journal article

Author(s):
*Senior A.

Citation:
The Journal of laryngology and otology, November 2015, vol./is. 129/11(1053-1057)

Abstract:
Reinke's space is a critical laryngeal structure, and the eponym remains in current use in both clinical and research settings. However, little is known about the life of the German anatomist Friedrich Berthold Reinke. His name is missing from the otolaryngological histories, despite his work on the structure he described being responsible for a fundamental advance in our understanding of the larynx. Although brilliant, Reinke was described as impetuous and coarse by his colleagues, resulting in his academic career being cut short. Reinke's relative anonymity is thought to derive from the fact that he never defined himself as a laryngologist. Without question, Reinke's observations of the human vocal fold are substantive contributions, without which modern laryngology could not have evolved. This article aimed to summarise this brilliant yet troubled man's life and achievements, allowing appreciation for his singular genius and fundamental contribution to laryngology.