Spare Parts: The Story of Medicine Through the History of Transplant Surgery

Craddock (surgery, University Coll., London) presents a fascinating history of transplant medicine. The first recorded skin graft took place in India in the 6th century BCE, indicating that the procedure is probably older than that. The first “modern” transplants of skin and noses began in the 16th century in Italy, when cutting off noses was a common punishment. The procedure was done in secret by two families until a surgeon fooled them into showing him the technique. The idea of interfering with nature concerned religious scholars; one early surgeon addressed the problem by emphasizing that the transplant returned the face to its God-created condition. Transplant medicine moved forward in fits and starts through the Renaissance, as the details of the circulatory system were uncovered. During the 18th century, tooth transplants became a status symbol for wealthy people; teeth were often bought from impoverished youngsters. It was not until blood typing was developed in 1901 and vascular surgery techniques improved that major organ transplantation could be considered. Craddock provides entertaining details of the lives involved along the way.