Sir Thomas Spencer Wells - Definition and Overview

Sir Thomas Spencer Wells (1818–1897) was born at St Albans, Hertfordshire, on 3 February, 1818, and received his early education at St. Albans School (then in the Lady Chapel of the Abbey). After a short time as a pupil of a Barnsley (Yorkshire) surgeon he studied medicine at Leeds, Trinity College Dublin, St. Thomas's Hospital (MRCS, 1841; FRCS, 1844), and later in Paris, France. He served as a naval surgeon in Malta, and then established his own practice in London in 1853. In 1854 and from 1856–78 he was surgeon of the Samaritan Free Hospital for Women, London (serving in between as an army surgeon in the Crimean War). He also lectured at the Grosvenor School of Medicine (which later became the medical school of St. George's Hospital), and in 1877 was appointed Hunterian Professor of Surgery and Pathology at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (of which he was elected President in 1883—and in the same year was created baronet). From 1863–96 he was surgeon to Queen Victoria's household. He died after an attack of apoplexy on 31 January, 1897.

Wells specialized in obstetrics and ophthalmic surgery. He is recognized as a pioneer in abdominal surgery and is notable for having perfected ovariotomy. He was also one the earliest surgeons to make use of anaesthetics in operations. He published a number of important medical books and articles.