John Arderne

Who was John Arderne?

John Arderne was an English surgeon, and one of the first of his time to devise workable cures. He is considered one of the fathers of surgery, described by some as England's first surgeon and by others as the country's first "of note". Many of his treatments are still in use today. Arderne's help was given to both the rich, and the poor. His view on fees was that rich men should be charged as much as possible, but poor men should be remedied free of charge. His remedies for illness are considered substantial for his time. Arderne recommended opium as a soporific and as an external anesthetic that the patient ‘schal slepe so that he schal fele no kuttyng.' In his document about Fistula in ano, John of Arderne sets out not only his operative procedures but also his code of conduct for the ideal medical practitioner.

In his early life, he resided in Newark-on-Trent. It is also believed he could have lived in Nottingham. He was in London by 1370 when he is thought to have been admitted as a member of the Guild of Surgeons. He saw active military service in the Hundred Years' War in the army of Henry of Grosmont, Duke of Lancaster, and John of Gaunt.