Sir William Ferguson (1808–1877)

Abstract

Up until the middle of the nineteenth century, general surgery consisted largely in amputations of diseased or injured limbs and lightening slash and grab raids on bladder stones. To many surgeons, these procedures, which inflicted intense pain on their patients, were abhorrent. Suddenly, in 1846, with the introduction of ether anaesthesia, all this was to change and William Fergusson found himself in the happy position to benefit from the new style of surgery where pain was abolished and speed began to play a less important part in the operation. Furthermore, in place of amputations, it now became feasible to attempt surgical procedures aimed at conserving or reconstructing diseased parts, which were earlier needlessly sacrificed. It may be remembered that when Percivall Pott suffered a compound fracture of his tibia, his colleagues wished to amputate, but the timely arrival of his old teacher Edward Nourse, who thought conservative treatment feasible, saved his leg.