Percival Pott was born at London on December 26, 1713. Four years later his father died, leaving his widow and son in possession of very scanty means. In 1729, when sixteen years of age, Percival was bound an apprentice to Mr. Nourse, one of the younger surgeons of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and a lecturer on anatomy in a private medical school which he established in the heart of London. As it was Pott’s duty to prepare the subjects for demonstration he thus enjoyed unusual opportunities for grounding himself well in the knowledge of anatomy. At the same time, through his relationship with Mr. Nourse, he found unlimited opportunities in the hospital for witnessing surgical operations and for becoming thoroughly familiar with disease in its different forms. English surgery at this early period was very crude and unscientific, and—as will be readily understood—most painful. In his study of different surgical affections Pott followed the plan advocated by Lord Bacon, viz., to take up one subject or one region of the body at a time and to devote all his attention to that particular subject or region until he had exhausted all available sources of information relating to the subject.
In 1736, having finished his apprenticeship, he began at once making the necessary preparations for entering upon the practice of his profession. For his residence and place of business he rented an attractive-looking house in a good part of London, and took with him his mother and her daughter by her first husband. Thanks to the brilliancy of his talents, to an untiring industry and to an attractive personality and agreeable manners, he soon won for himself a considerable clientèle; while at the same time acquiring many friends among the most influential members of his own profession as well as among the élite of London society in general. These early friendships, says his biographer, proved to be permanent; indeed, it may be claimed that few physicians acquired and retained through life more firm or more respectable friends.
In 1744 Pott was elected an Assistant Surgeon, and in 1749 one of the Principal Surgeons, of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital. From 1744 to 1787 he was unremitting in the surgical work which he performed in this institution. One of the most important services which he rendered to the science of medicine may justly be said to consist in the additions which he made to the scanty knowledge of that period concerning the nature and proper treatment of that disease of the spinal column which for many years has borne the name—in honor of this distinguished surgeon—of “Pott’s disease of the spine.” His first published memoir concerning the disease was published in 1779; but it was, as might be expected, only a preliminary sketch of the subject. Four years later he gave a complete description of this affection, the importance of which had for such a long period not been properly appreciated. In 1786 he received from the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh a diploma accompanied by a letter expressive of the high degree of appreciation in which he was held by that institution. This honor was greatly enhanced by the fact that Pott was the first person on whom it had been conferred.
Pott’s biographer (Sir James Earle, Surgeon Extraordinary to the King) places the following estimate upon his character and upon his attainments as a surgeon:—
He was the most eminent of his time as a writer, as a teacher, and as a practitioner in surgery; and his merits in each of these characters were most extensive. Possessed with an enthusiastic love of excelling, without which genius is inert, he was not contented with any kind of mediocrity in himself.
As an author, his language is correct, strong and animated.... He introduces anatomy and physiology, whenever it is necessary, to illustrate and distinguish diseases; but never confuses his reader with uncertain hypotheses in pathology, founded on physiological principles. He was of opinion, and it is the opinion of Newton, that hypothesis has no place in any physical science.... His remedies always strongly marked his intention; they were decided and consistent; and he was the principal author of that simplicity which distinguishes the present practice from that of our ancestors....
As a teacher, he had acquired the faculty of speaking readily, with great point and energy, of delivering the most prolix and intricate sentences with incredible perspicuity and correctness, and of enforcing what he said with a most harmonious and expressive elocution....
As a practioner in surgery, we must apply to him all the essential qualifications—sound judgment, cool determination and great manual dexterity....
In the transaction of business there was a freedom and openness in his manner, which evidently arose from a consciousness that the opinion which he delivered was founded on experience.... This conduct in all situations was an appeal to the good sense of mankind. Thus he acquired the universal confidence of the profession; and, without any accidental or external help, he raised himself to the greatest dignity which man can attain—the first rank in a liberal profession.