10 June 2024 (Last updated: 10 Jun 2024 15:08)
In his introductory talk, Simon L. Knight offers an engaging historical narrative about the British Society for Surgery of the Hand (BSSH) Coat of Arms. Knight's presentation underscores the emblem's significance and traces its evolution and revival, crediting both its original and current form to notable society members.
The BSSH Coat of Arms was once a prominent symbol of the Society, prominently displayed on the cover of every journal edition. However, as the journal transitioned from a British to an international publication, the Coat of Arms gradually faded from use, and the master copy was eventually lost. Thanks to the artistic talents of Julia Ruston, a hand surgeon and accomplished artist, the Coat of Arms has been faithfully remastered, restoring this important emblem to its former glory.
The Coat of Arms was originally devised by Stewart Harrison, a founding member and president of the Society in 1972. Coats of Arms have historically been used to identify knights hidden by their armor, and obtaining one is a complex and costly process, involving approval by the College of Arms and costing around £18,500 today.
Knight explains the various components of the BSSH Coat of Arms. The shield's lower part features a red and white background, representing the barber-surgeons who originated the craft of surgery, with a scalpel in the center. The upper part of the shield depicts two hands from Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel painting, symbolizing the Society's focus on hand surgery. The crest, emerging from clouds, shows a right hand holding a needle and a left hand holding a sable thread, illustrating the reparative nature of the Society, emphasized by the Latin motto meaning "Hands are repaired by hands."
The supporters flanking the shield are Hippocrates and Machaon. Hippocrates, holding a ladder with a missing fifth rung, symbolizes an ancient method to reduce dislocated shoulders, while Machaon, a warrior surgeon from the Trojan War, holds a broken arrow, symbolizing the removal of arrows from wounds. These supporters reflect the origins of the BSSH, formed in 1969 by orthopaedic and plastic surgeons from the British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) and the British Association of Plastic Surgeons (BAPS), respectively. The Society's founders chose one supporter from each coat of arms, embodying the balance and collaboration between the two specialties.
Knight further delves into the histories and symbols of the BOA and BAPS Coats of Arms, highlighting their unique elements and historical significance. The BOA Coat of Arms features Hippocrates and a traction device called a Scamnum, while the crest shows Andry’s tree, symbolizing orthopaedic care. The BAPS Coat of Arms, although now less prominent, depicts a grafted apple tree and a lizard crest, symbolizing regeneration and the art of plastic surgery.
Knight concludes by celebrating the revolutionary vision of the BSSH founders and their commitment to creating a specialty dedicated to hand surgery. He echoes the words of Norman Capener, emphasizing the enduring relevance of the Society's founding principles.
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