The history of European surgery in the 18th century: The Italian innovator Giovanni Alessandro Brambilla (1728–1800) at the Hapsburg court of Joseph II of Austria. A pioneer of medical and surgical education in the field of military medicine

Abstract

Surgeons improved both their social status and their theoretical preparation, which became more closely linked to university studies and increasingly distinct from that of practitioners and barbers. [...]its history features individuals connected with the army: soldiers, in addition to healthcare professionals. In 1781, this plan began to take shape, with the first teaching post being assigned to Gabriel von Gabriely, a doctor with great experience in surgery and military medicine. [...]it was decided that a few promising army surgeons should be selected and sent travelling for two years, so that they could gain experience in the most advanced medical schools. Accommodation was provided free of charge, while students had to pay for their own meals, which could be bought at a modest price from the innkeeper who supplied the hospital with food. The Academy housed over 200 students, in addition to some of the hospital staff.