Henry Earle FRS (1789–1838) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

surgeon.

Biography

Earle was the third son of Sir

James Earle Sir James Earle (1755–1817) was a celebrated British surgeon, renowned for his skill in lithotomy. Earle was born in London. After studying medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital, he became the institution's assistant surgeon in 1770. Due to ...

, was born 28 June 1789, in

Hanover Square, London Hanover Square is a green square in Mayfair, Westminster, south west of Oxford Circus where Oxford Street meets Regent Street. Six streets converge on the square which include Harewood Place with links to Oxford Street, Princes Street, Hanover ...

. His mother was daughter of Percival Pott, the great surgeon. He was apprenticed to his father at the age of sixteen, became a member of the College of Surgeons in 1808, and was then appointed house surgeon at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. In 1811 he began practice as a surgeon, and attained some notoriety by the invention of a bed for cases of fracture of the legs. For this invention he received two prizes from the Society of Arts. In 1813 he obtained the Jacksonian prize at the College of Surgeons for an essay on the diseases and injuries of nerves. He was elected assistant-surgeon to St. Bartholomew's Hospital in 1815, and on the resignation of Abernethy was elected surgeon to the hospital, 29 August 1827. He became surgeon to the Foundling Hospital, where a bust of him, by

William Behnes William Behnes (1795 – 3 January 1864) was a British sculptor of the early 19th century. Life Born in London, Behnes was the son of a Hanoverian piano-maker and his English wife. His brother was Henry Behnes, also a sculptor, albeit an i ...

, was placed in 1817. He was elected in 1822 a

fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemat ...

. In 1833 he was made professor of anatomy and surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons, and in 1835–7 he was president of the

Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society The Medical and Chirurgical Society of London was a learned society of physicians and surgeons which was founded in 1805 by 26 personalities in these fields who had left the Medical Society of London (founded 1773) because of disagreement with th ...

. On the accession of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...

he was appointed surgeon extraordinary to her majesty. He lived in George Street, Hanover Square, London, attained considerable practice, and died of fever at his own house 18 January 1838. His son was Alfred Earle, Bishop of Marlborough.

Publications

Besides twelve surgical papers in the 'Medico-Chirurgical Transactions,’ and two on surgical subjects in the 'Philosophical Transactions' (1821 and 1822), he published 'Practical Observations in Surgery,’

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, 1823. The frontispiece of this book has a series of drawings of the bed invented by Earle, and one of the six essays which make up the volume is a description of this bed. Two are reprints of his papers in the 'Philosophical Transactions' on an injury to the

urethra The urethra (from Greek οὐρήθρα – ''ourḗthrā'') is a tube that connects the urinary bladder to the urinary meatus for the removal of urine from the body of both females and males. In human females and other primates, the urethra c ...

and on the mechanism of the spine; the others are on injuries near the

shoulder The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle (collarbone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the humerus (upper arm bone) as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder mak ...

, on fracture of the funny-bone, and on certain fractures of the thigh-bone. This essay led to a controversy with Sir Astley Cooper as to whether fracture of the neck of the thighbone ever unites. Cooper maintained that it does not unite, and said that Earle only maintained the contrary in order to depreciate Guy's Hospital and its teaching. Earle defended his views in 'Remarks on Sir Astley Cooper's Reply,’ printed 13 September 1823. In 1832 he published 'Two Lectures on the Primary and Secondary Treatment of

Burn A burn is an injury to skin, or other tissues, caused by heat, cold, electricity, chemicals, friction, or ultraviolet radiation (like sunburn). Most burns are due to heat from hot liquids (called scalding), solids, or fire. Burns occur ma ...

s.’ His writings show him to have been a surgeon of large experience, but without much scientific acuteness. He was of small stature, and hence the 'Lancet,’ in many indecent attacks on him, usually calls him 'the cock-sparrow,’ but in a long series of abusive paragraphs nothing to Earle's real discredit is stated. His distinguished surgical descent, his early opportunities of acquiring knowledge, and success in obtaining important appointments seem to have made him somewhat arrogant, but he undoubtedly worked hard at his profession, and deserved the trust which a large circle of friends and patients placed in him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Earle, Henry 1789 births 1838 deaths People from Mayfair 19th-century English medical doctors English surgeons Fellows of the Royal Society Medical doctors from London