title: Joseph-Frédéric-Benoît Charrière: master cutler and instrument designer.
abstract: Modern surgery owes its development to the innovations and skill of those craftsmen in the early 19th Century. Joseph-Frédéric-Benoît Charrière was a Parisian Cutler of renowned fame. He pioneered many developments in ether administration, urologic and other general surgical instrumentation. He also made profound modifications to the syringe, haemostat and aneurysm clip. Charrière, most importantly, developed the French (Fr) or Charrière (Ch) gauge system used in sizing catheters and endoscopic equipment (1 Charr. = 0.333 mm). His contributions were widespread and are still evident today.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland. rcasey@oceanfree.net
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Quinlan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mulvin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lennon
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia / Q000266:history*; D005602:France; D013502:General Surgery / Q000266:history*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000266:history*; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation