Astley Paston Cooper

Biography

• Born August 23, 1768 Norfolk
• Died February 12, 1841, London

Medical Eponyms

• Cooper’s disease – multiple, benign cystic growths in the breast
• One of the first to describe: Tillaux Fracture
• First described the Galleazi fracture pattern in 1822 (published in 1824) some 110 years prior to Galeazzi’s publication.

Controversies

War of words with Henry Earle (1789 – 1838) when he proposed that neck of femur fractures could unite with conservative management only… Upon reading this work, Sir Astley Cooper was hear to exclaim ‘Good God! Is this written by and English surgeon ‘ and charged Earle with misleading the rising generation of surgeons. Acrimonious discourse at a meeting of the London Medical Society was recorded in the Lancet 1823.

I have been baffled at every attempt to cure, and have not yet witnessed one single example of union in this fracture….no argument can ever settle the question of the possibility of union, which can only be decided by observation…[Cooper 1823]

…the question never can be decided in the affirmative by following the doctrines which he [Cooper] has inculcated, as the practice Sir Astley recommends and follows renders union by bone a moral impossibility…there is no actual law in the animal economy prohibiting such union. By reasoning, I have endeavored to explain the causes which have hitherto contributed to interrupt bony union, and by reasoning, I hope to induce my professional brethren not to abandon these cases as hopeless. [Earle 1824]

Major Publications

• Cooper AP. On dislocation of the ankle joints. In: A treatise on dislocations and on fractures of the joints. London, 1822 [AKA – Tillaux Fracture]
• Cooper A. A treatise on dislocations, and on fractures of the joints. London: Longman; 1824. [pp473–476] [Plate XXVIII Fig 1,2] [AKA – Galleazi fracture]

References

• Fresquet JL. Astley Paston Cooper (1768-1841). Historia de la Medicina.
• Archive: COOPER, Sir Astley Paston (1768-1841). King’s College London College Archives