Commencing with a cronolgy of developments in surgery, the book goes on to examine the development of the various specialities including the closely related disciplines of anaesthesia and radiology. It treats also the evolution of the lifestyle of the surgeon and the variety of social and professional experience encountered. At the heart of this book are more than 600 brief biographies of surgeons, who worked during the past century and either retired or died before the end of 2005. In many cases the subjects are illustrated by either a formal portrait or photograph. Irish Surgeons and Surgery in the Twentieth Century will be warmly welcomed by all those interest in the development of medicine in Ireland and in particular all those associated with surgery, whether directly or indirectly.