The Author

Richard Petty is a London medical practitioner. Like Gillies, he was a Caius and Barts man. During his student days he wrote this account of Gillies' life and works as his 1962 Wix Prize entry. Today, it can be looked upon as part of the history of plastic surgery.

Below is an excerpt from the book, regarding his association to Gillies:

"My father was a colleague of Harold Gillies, a fellow ENT surgeon, and was a great admirer of his achievements during the First World War and in establishing plastic surgery as a recognised discipline, let alone his astonishing gifts in the practice of the art. Gillies was a Barts man. I had a place at Guy's to take up after Cambridge. I changed my mind, deciding that I would be happier at Barts. Too late in applying, my father appealed to Gillies. With typical kindness, he used his influence to obtain an interview for me. Sadly he had died before I could meet him and thank him."