Papers of Sir William Macewen

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Sir William Macewen (1848-1924), laid the basis for modern brain surgery and pioneered bone grafts. He also performed the first pneumonectomy.

Macewen was educated at the University of Glasgow graduating as MB, CM in 1869, and as MD in 1872. He took inspiration from his professor of surgery Joseph Lister (1827-1912 ) and took up a post as assistant surgeon at the Royal Infirmary, Glasgow in 1875. Two years later he was promoted to full surgeon. Macewen adopted and further developed Lister's antiseptic surgery methodologies, enabling him to undertake pioneering surgical advances. His main research interest was bone growth and in 1879 he performed the first bone graft. This enabled surgical implantation of small missing portions of bones in the limbs. A method for rectifying knock-knee was also developed. Macewen's other research interest was neurosurgery and he operated on tumours, abscesses and trauma. In 1892 Macewen became regius professor of Surgery at the University of Glasgow where he remained until his death.

Macewen became a fellow of the Royal Society in 1895 and was knighted in 1902.

The papers of Sir William Macewen consist of:

• correspondence and papers relating to Sir William Macewen
• correspondence and papers relating to the Macewen family

• Bone-grafting
• Brain Surgery
• Nervous System, Surgery
• Pneumonectomy
• Surgeons

• Lister | Joseph | 1827-1912 | baron | professor of surgery, University of Glasgow
• Macewen | Sir | William | 1848-1924 | professor of surgery, University of Glasgow

• Glasgow Royal Infirmary | 1794- : | hospital | Glasgow (Scotland)
• Royal Society | c1645-: | scientific society | London (England)
• University of Glasgow | 1451- : | university | Glasgow (Scotland)