Surgery during the Napoleonic Wars

Director Ridley Scott’s new film Napoleon is released on the 25 November. Before you go find out what the reality was like for servicemen and surgeons in the bloody fields of battle with Mr Michael Crumplin, retired consultant surgeon and world authority on surgery during the Napoleonic Wars.

Includes exclusive pre-talk access to the Hunterian Museum from 17:00 to 18:50

In this illustrated talk Mr Michael Crumplin FRCS describes the various theatres of war and types of injuries and challenges for Britain’s soldiers, sailors, marines and surgeons during the Napoleonic War. He highlights the training of surgeons, their experiences on the battlefield or at sea and the few advances made in surgical practice in the early 19th century. Hampered by the lack of pain relief and antiseptic knowledge and practice, outcomes were modest or poor, but in some cases better than commonly realised. Michael outlines various operative procedures, illustrating therapies and the results during and after combat and in hospitals.