Robert Jones

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

• Great teachers of surgery in the past. Sir Robert Jones (1857-1933). Br J Surg. 1967 Feb;54(2):85-90
• Batchelor JS. Robert Jones, his life and ours to-day. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 1969 Jun;44(6):342-55. 
• Cope R. Robert Jones: father of modern orthopaedic surgery. Bull Hosp Jt Dis. 1995;54(2):115-23.
• Hagy M. “Keeping up with the Joneses”–the story of Sir Robert Jones and Sir Reginald Watson-Jones. Iowa Orthop J. 2004;24:133-7. 
• Mostofi SB. Who’s Who in Orthopedics. Springer; 2005 edition. pp164-167
• Di Matteo B, Tarabella V, Filardo G. et al. Sir Robert Jones: orthopaedic surgeon and war hero. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 2015; 39: 1021–1025.
• Biography: Sir Robert Jones. Plarr’s Lives of the Fellows Online. Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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.
• Nakayama DK. The Welsh Clan That Transformed Orthopedic Surgery. Am Surg. 2019 May 1;85(5):441-448. 
• Cadogan M. Eponymythology of foot injuries. LITFL