This landmark volume brings together some of the most groundbreaking and influential papers in the history of surgical medicine. Selected and translated by C. T. Dent and edited with annotations by Theodor Billroth, this collection offers a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of surgical practice and technique during a pivotal period in medical history. From anesthesia and antiseptics to wound healing and tumor removal, these reports provide a wealth of knowledge and insight that remains relevant to surgeons and medical researchers today. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.