Machaon: the first trauma surgeon in Western history?

Homer's epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, written between 800-700 BC, offer valuable information about what medical practice meant at that time. Descriptions of injuries and care given can be found among the 26,000 verses of these poems. During the Trojan War many warriors possessed empirical knowledge of wound care. However, Machaon and his brother Podalirius were the chief medical officers of the Greek army as it besieged Troy. Machaon was acting mainly as a trauma surgeon, while Podalirius was a physician. The original texts of the Iliad and Odyssey, as well as relevant literature and references, were methodically studied for extraction of adequate information about the life and work of Machaon. He provided medical care to injured soldiers and officers, and performed small operations. He treated the wound of King Menelaus of Sparta, the co-chief of the Greek army and many others. He was also a talented warrior, participating in many battles around the walls of Troy. When he was injured, the Greeks rallied around him so that he would not be taken or killed by the enemy. Since he had the knowledge and the ability to save lives, his life was considered equal to that of many men. Future generations would worship him as god protector of surgery. Machaon's techniques and skills can be considered to constitute the origins of modern surgery and trauma management at the dawn of western civilisation.

[Dermatosurgery and other interventional techniques in dermatology: a more than 2000 year-history]. / La dermatologie instrumentale avant la « dermatochirurgie ¼, plus de 2 000 ans d'histoire.

Surgical dermatology has probably existed since the first steps of antique medicine, especially for cutaneous cancer excision and wound reparation. Wonderful descriptions of surgical flaps can be found in the Encyclopedy of Celse, a Roman doctor living in the first century AC. Major progresses in local anesthesy were achieved at the end of the XIXth century, allowing the first dermatologists of the XXth century to perform biopsies and cutaneous surgery with a good control of patient's pain. Electricity was introduced in medicine at the end of the XIXth century, and our ancestors dermatologists used it for electrocoagulation, cauterization and electric hair removal. In the « Pratique dermatologique ¼, the first encyclopedy of dermatology published in 1900, many chapters show how important instrumental and surgical dermatology was. Pigmentary changes induced by surgery and other procedures were probably well known then but were less important than troubles due to scarring, which are mentioned in the early literature. Spontaneous or post-interventional cheloids are well discussed in the early works of Alibert, in the years 1810. This article shows that surgical dermatology is far more ancient than the creation of societies dedicated to it in the XXth century.

Key moments in the history of dermatologic surgery (1952-2000).

The history of surgery in dermatology ("dermatologic surgery") is rich with significant developments and advances by multiple individuals. Only a few of these pioneers can be highlighted in this report because of space limitations. My apologies to colleagues and friends who have not been included or mentioned in this article. The Timeline: Major milestones in the history of dermatologic surgery in this article tells some of the story. The biographic pieces on 15 outstanding physicians add additional detail and perspective. Many major developments have occurred since 2000, but they are beyond the scope of this article.

The Stegman Papers: biography of a leader in dermatologic surgery.

The Stegman Papers is a biography of Dr. Samuel J. Stegman. The papers were collected by Dr. Stegman during his lifetime as a dermatologic surgeon and leader. The manuscript includes a time line of Dr. Stegman's life and listing of his accomplishments, including significant publications.