Robert William Smith (surgeon)
Encyclopedia
Robert William Smith was an Irish
surgeon
and pathologist
who described Smith's fracture
in his 1847 book, the first important book on fractures by an Irish author.
in 1832. He received his M.D.
from Trinity College, Dublin
in 1842, and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 1844. He became the first Professor of Surgery at Trinity College in 1847, and a member of the Royal Irish Academy
in 1849. He worked as surgeon to the Hospital for the Mentally Ill, Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital
and Richmond Hospital, Dublin and taught surgery and forensic medicine at the Richmond Hospital. He cofounded the Dublin Pathological Society in 1838 with Abraham Colles
, Sir Dominic Corrigan
and William Stokes.
Robert Smith published on a wide variety of subjects, particularly the pathology
of surgical diseases, congenital
joint dislocations and neuroma
. In his 1847 book A Treatise on Fractures in the Vicinity of Joints and on Certain Forms of Accidental and Congenital Dislocations he corrected Colles's description of the Colles' fracture
, stating that:
Smith also described his own eponymous fracture
in the same chapter. In his Treatise on the Pathology, Diagnosis and Treatment of Neuroma he described neurofibromatosis
33 years before von Recklinghausen
.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
surgeon
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
and pathologist
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
who described Smith's fracture
Smith's fracture
A Smith's fracture, also sometimes known as a reverse Colles' fracture is a fracture of the distal radius. It is caused by a direct blow to the dorsal forearm or falling onto flexed wrists, as opposed to a Colles' fracture which occurs as a result of falling onto wrists in extension...
in his 1847 book, the first important book on fractures by an Irish author.
Biography
Robert William Smith studied medicine in his native Dublin, receiving his Licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons in IrelandRoyal College of Surgeons in Ireland
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland , is a Dublin-based medical institution, situated on St. Stephen's Green. The college is one of the five Recognised Colleges of the National University of Ireland...
in 1832. He received his M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
from Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
in 1842, and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 1844. He became the first Professor of Surgery at Trinity College in 1847, and a member of the Royal Irish Academy
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
in 1849. He worked as surgeon to the Hospital for the Mentally Ill, Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital
Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital
Sir Patrick Dun’s Hospital was a hospital and school for physicians on Grand Canal Street, Dublin which opened in 1808 and was named after the Irish physician Sir Patrick Dun.-History:...
and Richmond Hospital, Dublin and taught surgery and forensic medicine at the Richmond Hospital. He cofounded the Dublin Pathological Society in 1838 with Abraham Colles
Abraham Colles
Abraham Colles was professor of Anatomy, Surgery and Physiology at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Descended from a Worcestershire family, some of whom had sat in Parliament, he was born to William Colles and Mary Anne Bates of Woodbroak, Co. Wexford...
, Sir Dominic Corrigan
Dominic Corrigan
Sir Dominic Corrigan was a physician, known for his original observations in heart disease. The abnormal "collapsing" pulse of aortic valve insufficiency is named Corrigan's pulse after him.-Birth and Education:The son of a dealer in agricultural tools, Corrigan was educated in St...
and William Stokes.
Robert Smith published on a wide variety of subjects, particularly the pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
of surgical diseases, congenital
Congenital disorder
A congenital disorder, or congenital disease, is a condition existing at birth and often before birth, or that develops during the first month of life , regardless of causation...
joint dislocations and neuroma
Neuroma
A neuroma is a growth or tumor of nerve tissue. Just as the Latin word for swelling is now restricted to neoplasias, the equivalent Greek suffix -oma has shared in that fate. Thus, the typical modern usage of neuroma is for nerve tumors...
. In his 1847 book A Treatise on Fractures in the Vicinity of Joints and on Certain Forms of Accidental and Congenital Dislocations he corrected Colles's description of the Colles' fracture
Colles' fracture
A Colles' fracture, also Colles fracture, is a fracture of the distal radius in the forearm with dorsal displacement of the wrist and hand. The fracture is sometimes referred to as a "dinner fork" or "bayonet" deformity due to the shape of the resultant forearm...
, stating that:
- The situation of the fracture is not so high as Mr. Colles states it to be; I have never seen it more than an inch above the carpal end of the bone; in the mojrity of cases it is not so much.
Smith also described his own eponymous fracture
Smith's fracture
A Smith's fracture, also sometimes known as a reverse Colles' fracture is a fracture of the distal radius. It is caused by a direct blow to the dorsal forearm or falling onto flexed wrists, as opposed to a Colles' fracture which occurs as a result of falling onto wrists in extension...
in the same chapter. In his Treatise on the Pathology, Diagnosis and Treatment of Neuroma he described neurofibromatosis
Neurofibromatosis
Neurofibromatosis is a genetically-inherited disorder in which the nerve tissue grows tumors that may be benign or may cause serious damage by compressing nerves and other tissues...
33 years before von Recklinghausen
Friedrich Daniel von Recklinghausen
Friedrich Daniel von Recklinghausen was a German pathologist who practiced medicine in Würzburg and Strassburg . Born in Gütersloh, Westphalia, he was the father of physiologist Heinrich von Recklinghausen ....
.