Name John Barton | ||
Died January 1, 1871, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | ||
John Rhea Barton (April 1794, Lancaster, Pennsylvania – 1 January 1871, Philadelphia) was an American orthopedic surgeon remembered for describing Barton's fracture.
Biography
John Rhea Barton graduated from the Pennsylvania Hospital in 1818 and started teaching there soon after. He became surgeon at the Philadelphia Almshouse, working for Philip Syng Physick, and returned to the Pennsylvania Hospital as surgeon in 1823.
He was said to be ambidextrous, and did not move around once positioned for an operation. He originated the osteotomy for joint ankylosis, performing a femoral osteotomy between the greater and lesser trochanters; in 1826 he performed a hip osteotomy in seven minutes.
He is also known for the Barton bandage, a figure-of-eight bandage to support the jaw, and Barton forceps, curved obstetric forceps.
John Rhea Barton's brother was Dr. William P.C. Barton.