Publisher's Synopsis
Sir William James Erasmus Wilson FRCS FRS (1809-84), generally known as Sir Erasmus Wilson, was an English surgeon and dermatologist. After attending Dartford Grammar School he studied at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London, and later at Aberdeen, and early in life became known as a skillful surgeon and dissector. It was his sympathy with the poor of London and a suggestion from Thomas Wakley of The Lancet, of which he acted for a time as sub-editor, which first led him to take up skin diseases as a special study and he soon established a reputation for his work to alleviate the suffering of those afflicted with scrofula, anaemia and blood poisoning. He was an advocate of the daily bath and also did much to bring the Turkish Bath into use in Britain, his books on spas, baths and thermo-therapy being directly related to his work on the health of the skin. He made a large fortune by his successful practice and by skillful investments and, having no family, devoted a great deal of his wealth to charitable and educatiaonal purposes. He was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1881 and on his death the bulk of his property, some £200,000, went to the Royal College of Surgeons. This work was first published in 1861. With 7 illustrations and a facsimile of the original cover.
