The development of the College has been inextricably linked to changes in surgical practice. The last 200 years have seen the replacement of brandy and physical restraint by controlled anaesthesia; the introduction of complex methods of investigation such as the MRI scanner; the increasing specialization of surgical practice; and the refinement of procedures to allow minimal tissue damage. A patient in 1800 faced not only the horrors of an operation without an anaesthetic, but also probable death from sepsis. In the next millennium, advances in techniques and the reduced need for major surgery will result in a continued lowering of morbidity and mortality.
The College has been in the vanguard of these developments throughout its history. The book is lavishy illustrated throughout with images drawn from the College collections, including those in the Hunterian Museum with which the College has been entrusted throughout its existence. 'The Royal College of Surgeons of England' provides fascinating reading both for the surgical community and others wishing to gain an insight into the workings of a great surgical institution.
