A critical comparison of Davis’ principles of plastic surgery with Gillies’ plastic surgery of the face

Freshwater, M. F.
Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery. 2011; (64) 1: 17-26

The second decade of the 20th century saw the publication of two landmark books – John Staige Davis’ Plastic Surgery its Principles and Practice published in Philadelphia in 1919 and Major Harold Gillies’ Plastic Surgery of the Face published in the United Kingdom early 1920. The aim of this paper is to compare the books critically as scholarly achievements in their time and note their present day relevance.