Astley Paston Cooper Ashhurst

Dr. Ashhurst was a namesake of Sir Astley Paston Cooper and a distinguished Philadelphia surgeon to Base Section No. 1 (St. Nazaire Nantes) when I was consulting orthopedic surgeon in 1918-1919, but was absent on a surgical team when I arrived, August 1918. When he returned to Savenay the orthopedic service had taken over all the fractures, amputations, and the like and we had most of the wards that had formerly been cared for by the general surgical service. Dr. Ashhurst was the son of Dr. John Ashhurst, Jr. (Philadelphia, 1839- 1990). His report the method of recording surgical operations at the front in France read before the Philadelphia Academy of Surgery, May 5, 1919, concerns a personal experience at the front in France in 1918 and fairly describes the methods of the time. Having seen the surgical services of many general surgeons in England and France it was my impression that reduction and protection of fractures was much neglected. My criticism of fracture practice at that time (and since) have usually been resented by those who have never acquired what Sir Robert Jones called the "orthopedic conscience." (H.W. Orr).