HEWETT

hewett, sir prescott gardner, bart. (1812-1891), british surgeon, was born on the 3rd of july 1812, being the son of a yorkshire country gentleman. he lived for some years in early life in paris, and started on a career as an artist, but abandoned it for surgery. he entered st george's hospital, london (where his half-brother, dr cornwallis hewett, was physician from 1825 to 1833) becoming demonstrator of anatomy and curator of the museum. he was the pupil and intimate friend of sir b. c. brodie, and helped him in much of his work. eventually he rose to be anatomical lecturer, assistant-surgeon and surgeon to the hospital. in 1876 he was president of the college of surgeons; in 1877 he was made serjeant-surgeon extraordinary to queen victoria, in 1884 serjeant-surgeon, and in 1883 he was created a baronet. he was a very good lecturer, but shrank from authorship; his lectures on _surgical affections of the head_ were, however, embodied in his treatise on the subject in holmes's _system of surgery_. as a surgeon he was always extremely conservative, but hesitated at no operation, however severe, when convinced of its expediency. he was a perfect operator, and one of the most trustworthy of counsellors. he died on the 19th of june 1891.