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In the days before anaesthesia, the speed and skill of the surgeon was crucial to survival. Not only did a swift cut and stitch limit the intense pain at the time of the operation, but would also reduce the likelihood of infection. Good surgeons were judged by their hasty slashes with quality blades rather than the accuracy and precision of the incisions.
Robert Liston, a Scottish born and educated surgeon, moved to London in 1816 where he trained further and later became a House Surgeon in the Royal Infirmary under Dr George Bell. After working at St. Barts and the London Hospital, he returned to Edinburgh and started his own anatomy lectures. During his time in London, he achieved the reputation as being one of the fastest and most dextrous surgeons of all time. He would often take on cases that other surgeons had refused, such was his skill and confidence. Understandably, he also experienced a great deal of professional rivalry and criticism which had an impact on his career.
Liston understood the necessity of speedy surgery, with amputations taking him seconds to achieve and more complex operations a mere few minutes. To aid in his success, he developed specialised tools, including a set of bone crushing forceps and a splint for long bone fractures. While some surgeons dabbled with hypnosis to ease the pain for the…