Remarks on army surgeons and their works / by Charles Alexander Gordon.

  • Gordon, C. A. (Charles Alexander), Sir, 1821-1899.
Date:
1870
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks on army surgeons and their works / by Charles Alexander Gordon. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    views regarding the position of medical officers, and deplor- ing the inferiority of the persons tlien employed in tlxat capacity. It may be well to state that the limits within which, in these papers, I must confine myself, permit me only to briefly allude to some of the more prominent army surgeoas, and those to whom the profession, in civil or military life, is indebted for improvements connected therewith. This circumstance, too, must account for the sketchy character of my remarks. Among the many who have laboured well and successfully for the benefit of the soldiers entrusted to their care, and for the interests of the profession of wliich they were members, the name of Par^ stands pre-eminent at this time, and deserves more than a passing notice, as some of the incidents connected with his history indicate not only the influence which he ob- tained over the troops, but the very important military result that was thereby produced. He served as surgeon to fouj- suc- cessive kings of France, followed their armies from 1536 to 1569, and published the results of Ms varied experience in 1582. To him, surgery is believed to be indebted for the in- troduction of the needle and ligature ; but the circumstance of greatest importance connected with his career as an army surgeon occurred at Mentz, when the owblesse of France were besieged in that city by Charles V., at the head of a hundred thousand men. The Duke of Guise, who commanded the garrison on that occasion, made a special appbcation to the king, his master, that Par4 should be sent to them. The sur- geon at once obeyed the summons, and, as we learn, when he had found his way through the enemy’s lines, received a most cordial welcome, not only from his Grace and all the officers, but from the soldiers also, many of whom exclaimed, “ Xow we shall not die, even although wounded—Par4 is amongst us.” Mentz was at this time the bulwark of France, and it has always been ascribed to the confidence inspired in the troojis by the presence of this single man that they maintained their ])osition until the army which lay around it perished beneath its walls. Well indeed may we, from tMs important incident, in- dicate how great are the results that have been brought about by the presence, with an army, of an efficient medical stuff. Other instances will present themselves as we proceed. William Clowes was properly speaking a naval surgeon ; yet havino' been sent to the Low Countries to take chai'ge of the wounded of Elizabeth’s army, that was aiding the Dutch ^%ainst Spain, he may rightly be named in this place. In 1585 he published his work on “ Syphilis,” in the treatment of which he employed mercury to a great extent. He also wrote on “Gun- shot Wounds,” recommending mucilaginous applications to them.