Date of birth: 03/02/1818

Date of death: 31/01/1897

Wikipedia

BIOGRAPHY

Sir Thomas Spencer Wells (1818–1897) was a prominent British surgeon, medical professor, and president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, who also served as a surgeon to Queen Victoria. After early education in Hertfordshire,

Wells studied medicine in Leeds, Dublin, London, and Paris, eventually becoming an esteemed Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. He served as a naval and military surgeon, notably during the Crimean War, which helped him gain experience in abdominal surgery.

Wells became a pioneer in ovariotomy, significantly reducing mortality rates and performing over 1,000 operations by 1880. He was known for emphasizing cleanliness in surgical practice and for his key innovation, the ratchet hemostatic forceps, which improved surgical ergonomics and safety.

Wells also held various prestigious roles, including Hunterian Professor and president of the Royal College of Surgeons, and was knighted in 1883.