Legends of Surgery

In this episode, we explore the origins of our understanding of blood and its function, going all the way back to ancient Greece and Rome. We'll discuss the humeral system championed by Galen, and how these concepts were finally corrected with the discovery of the circulatory system. The consumption of blood, a practice dating back to ancient times, will be covered, as well as the first transfusions into humans, including the first truly successful one by Dr. James Blundell. As always, there will be lots of twists and turns, so enjoy!

In this episode, we cover the legendary figure of Hua T'o, the best known (and one of the few) surgeons from Ancient China, as well as the state of surgical treatments at the time. The tale of his most famous operation, on the General Guan Yu, is also examined. Finally, the role of culture and religion on the development of anatomical and surgical knowledge in Ancient China is explored.

In this episode, we will explore the history of a nearly 4 millenia old slab of rock which has inscribed on it some of the oldest recorded laws in history, including some that dictated payments for operations, and some severe punishments for malpractice! Along the way, we'll also delve into the world of Babylonian medicine, discover the history of the caduceus, and, as a special bonus, cover a recent Nobel prize which has implications for surgery in an all new suture tale.

In this first of two episodes on the titan of neurosurgery, we'll look at his beginnings including his early life, medical school and training, as well as his influential trip to Europe. We'll also cover some of his early impacts on neurosurgery, and of course, take a few side trips of discovery.