Robert Jones
Sir Robert Jones (1857-1933) was a Welsh General and Orthopaedic Surgeon and part time Roentgenologist.
A worldwide driving force for the development of Orthopaedics as a distinct specialty during early 1900s. Published the first clinical radiograph less than 2 months after Roentgen’s original report
Established the Shropshire Orthopaedic Hospital, now known as Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital. Jones was reported to operate back-to-back for ten hours with a list of over 20 crippled children every Saturday.
Eponymously affiliated with the Jones fracture which he first described in 1902
Biography
- Born on June 28, 1857 in Rhyl, Wales.
- 1878 – Qualified in Medicine, Liverpool. Even prior to this he was assisting his uncle, Hugh Owen Thomas (inventor of Thomas splint), with his work at the historic 11 Nelson Street.
- 1889 – Obtained FRCSEd. Appointed surgeon at Royal Southern Hospital, Liverpool
- 1902 – Published his paper ‘Fracture of the base of the fifth metatarsal bone by indirect violence’, the fracture later went on to be eponymously known as Jones Fracture.
- 1905 – Specialised in Orthopaedic Surgery
- 1913 – Nominated President of Orthopaedics for the International Medical Congress
- 1914-1918 – Initially served as a medical officer in France then back in England he created a nationwide orthopaedic military service. For his tremendous work he was decorated with CB, Knight Bachelor, Knight Commander and finally Baronet in 1926.
- 1919 – Director of Orthopaedics, St Thomas’ Hospital, London.
- 1929 – First President of International Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology (SICOT)
- Died on January 14, 1933.
Medical Eponyms
Jones Fracture (1902)
Fracture of the proximal diaphysis of the 5th metatarsal, distal to the tuberosity, without joint involvement. Caused by foot inversion / twisting and repetitive stress
Whilst dancing, I trod on the outer side of my foot, my heel at the moment being off the ground. Something gave way midway down my foot, and I at once suspected a rupture of the peroneus longus tendon…I hobbled down-stairs to my colleague…to X-ray my foot. This was done, and the fifth metatarsal was found fractured about three-fourths of an inch from its base.
Jones R, Ann Surg. 1902: 697
Other eponyms
- Jones Bandage – Compression dressing; padded pressure bandage for the knee used post-operatively
- Jones Abduction Frame – Apparatus used on hospital beds to aid hip adduction
Major Publications
- Jones R. Lodge O. The discovery of a bullet lost in the wrist by means of the Roentgen Rays. The Lancet. 1896;147(3782):476-477
- Ridlon J, Jones R. Lectures on orthopedic surgery. 1899
- Jones R. Fracture of the Base of the Fifth Metatarsal Bone by Indirect Violence. Ann Surg. 1902;35(6):697–700 [Jones Fracture]
- Jones R. Fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone. Liverpool medico-chirurgical journal 1902; 22: 103-107.
- Tuby AH, Jones R. Modern methods in the surgery of paralyses. 1903
- Jones R. Injuries of joints. 1916
- Jones R. Notes on military orthopædics. 1917
- Jones R. Orthopaedic surgery of injuries. 1921 [Volume 2]
- Jones R, Lovett RW. Orthopedic surgery. 1923
References
Biography
- Mostofi SB. Who’s Who in Orthopedics. Springer; 2005 edition. pp164-167
- Biography: Sir Robert Jones. Plarr’s Lives of the Fellows Online. Royal College of Surgeons of England.
- Bibliography. Jones, Robert 1857-1933. WorldCat Identities
Eponymous terms
- Stewart IM. Jones’s fracture: fracture of base of fifth metatarsal. Clin Orthop. 1960;16:190-8.
- Brodell JD, Axon DL, Evarts CM. The Robert Jones bandage. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1986 Nov;68(5):776-9.
- Gomez A, Cadogan M. Eponymythology of foot injuries. LITFL
eponym
the person behind the name
Resident medical officer in emergency medicine MB ChB (Uni. Dundee) MRCS Ed. Avid traveller, yoga teacher, polylinguist with a passion for discovering cultures.