The best surgeon in England

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Percivall Pott (1713-88) was a prominent surgeon in eighteenth-century Britain, whose legacy offers valuable insights into the evolution of pre-modern surgery. This period marked the professionalization of surgery, with Pott playing a crucial role in shaping the image of the professional surgeon. He adeptly balanced treating numerous impoverished hospital patients, teaching operative skills to aspiring surgeons, and managing a lucrative private practice. Notably, Pott had more medical conditions named after him than any other surgeon of his time, highlighting the significance of rhetoric in defining medicine as a sophisticated science rather than a basic practice of treating illness. The act of naming conditions after surgeons underscores their power to classify and claim ownership over specific bodily ailments. Pott's life and contributions challenge the common perception of pre-anesthesia surgery as chaotic and dominated by eccentric figures focused solely on rapid operations. By examining the work of a surgeon esteemed by his peers, we gain a more nuanced understanding of the field's history, revealing its human aspects and the complexities of surgical practice during this transformative era.