Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

The “GENESIS” of modern orthopaedics: portraits of three illustrious pioneers

  • Orthopaedic Heritage
  • Published:
International Orthopaedics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

There are some key figures in medical history whose achievements can be regarded as crucial in the definition of new knowledge and in setting new standards for clinical practice. This manuscript depicts the lives and work of three eminent physicians who were forerunners in the foundation of orthopaedics as an independent medical specialty. They are: Nicholas Andry, Jean-Andrè Venel, and John Ball Brown. The first was the inventor of the name of our discipline, whereas the other two, besides being renowned practitioners, were also the founders, respectively, of the first orthopaedic institutions in Europe and the United States. Therefore, they can be included among the illustrious fathers of modern orthopaedic practice.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Di Matteo B, Tarabella V, Filardo G, Viganò A, Tomba P, Marcacci M (2013) Thomas Annandale: the first meniscus repair. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2013 Apr 11. [Epub ahead of print]

  2. Donati D, Zolezzi C, Tomba P, Viganò A (2007) Bone grafting: historical and conceptual review, starting with an old manuscript by Vittorio Putti. Acta Orthop 78(1):19–25, Review

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Kohler R (2010) Nicolas Andry de Bois-Regard (Lyon 1658-Paris 1742): the inventor of the word ‘orthopaedics’ and the father of parasitology. J Child Orthop 4:349–355

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Peltier LF (1985) Nicolas Andry. The designer of orthopedic iconography. Clin Orthop Relat Res 200:54–56

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Bonola A (1937) Ricerche sulla Vita, le Opere ed il Ritratto di Nicolas Andry. La Chirurgia degli Organi in Movimento 22:385–399

    Google Scholar 

  6. Andry N (1700) De la génération des vers dans le corps de l’homme. De la nature & des espèces de cette maladie, de ses effets, de ses signes, de ses prognostics: Des moyens de s’en préserver, des remèdes pour la guérir. Paris, Chez Laurent d’Houry, 1700, 1st ed.

  7. Andry N (1741) L‘orthopédie ou l’art de prevenir et de corriger dans les enfants les difformités du corps. A Paris, chez la Veuve Alix et chez Lambert et Durand, 1st ed.

  8. Burrows HJ (1952) Leonardo da Vinci and Nicholas Andry on Posture. J Bone Joint Surg Br 34-B(4):541–544

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Pope A (1735) Moral Essays, Epis 1

  10. Peltier LF (1994) Ortopedia. Storia e Iconografia. Roma, CIC Ed, pp 23–25

  11. Venel, JA (1778) Précis d’instruction pour les sages-femmes. Yverdon

  12. Böni TH, RÜttimann B, Dvorak J, Sandler ABS (1994) Historical perspectives Jean-André Venel. Spine 19;17:2007–2011

    Google Scholar 

  13. Venel JA (1789) Description d’une nouvelle machine hydraulique, inventée et exécutée à Orbe. Historie et mémoires de la Société des sciences physiques de Lausanne 2:81–88

  14. Venel JA (1769) Sur la meilleure construction des poeles et cheminées. Mémoires et observations recueillies par la Société oeconomique de Berne 1:105–172

    Google Scholar 

  15. Venel JA (1769) Sur la construction des fourneaux de chimie. Mémoires et observationns recueillies par la Société oeconomique de Berne 2:5–78

    Google Scholar 

  16. Venel JA (1769) Nouveaux secours pour les corps arretés dans l’oesophage, ou description de quelques instruments plus propres qu’aucun des anciens moyens à retirer ces corps par la bouche, inventé par M. Venel. Lausanne, F. Grasset (ed)

  17. Massachusetts Medical Society (1862) Obituary: John Ball Brown. Medical Communications of Massachusetts Medical Society 10:158–159

  18. No Author Given (1862) Obituary. The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal 66:362–364

  19. Cohen J (1958) The Boston Orthopedic Institution. J Bone Joint Surg. 40/A:1176–1178

    Google Scholar 

  20. Rutkow IM (1992) The history of surgery in the United States 1775–1900. S. Francisco, Norman Publ, pp 148–149

  21. Bick EM (1976) American Orthopedic Surgery: the first 200 years. N Y State J Med 76:294–295

    Google Scholar 

  22. Tennyson A (1842) Poems: Ulysess

  23. Brown JB (1844) Reports of cases in the Boston Orthopedic Institution: or Hospital for the Cure of Deformities of the Human Frame. Boston Medical and Surgical Journal

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Liliana Draghetti (Donazione Putti, Biblioteche Scientifiche, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute) and Keith Smith (Task Force, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute) for their help.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Berardo Di Matteo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Di Matteo, B., Tarabella, V., Filardo, G. et al. The “GENESIS” of modern orthopaedics: portraits of three illustrious pioneers. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 37, 1613–1618 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-013-1936-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-013-1936-z

Keywords

Navigation