About this 3D model

Bust of Robert Liston (1794-1847), plaster, by Thomas Campbell, 1850. Robert Liston was a competent surgeon who contributed significantly to medicine as a science. Then he had the misfortune to have one seriously bad day and became a legend in the medical community. A Scottish surgeon who practiced all over Britain, he earned respect for his skill in amputations. Liston practiced in the early 1800s, before anesthesia was popular. Cutting and sawing on a conscious, shrieking patient took strong nerves and a strong stomach. The shorter the operation, the lesser the suffering of the patient and the greater the chance that the patient would survive. Liston could amputate a leg in two minutes. This was impressive, but it came with impressive drawbacks.