title: Historical perspective: William Adams, the forward bending test, and the spine of Gideon Algernon Mantell.
abstract: William Adams described the Forward Bending Test for scoliosis in 1865. His understanding of the nature of the rotational element of scoliosis was given by a postmortem he performed on an eminent surgeon and geologist, Gideon Mantell. The clinical history of Dr. Mantell is well documented.
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford, UK. jeremy.fairbank@ndos.ox.ac.uk
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fairbank
mesh_terms: D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history; D004739:England; D013502:General Surgery / Q000266:history; D005844:Geology / Q000266:history; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011128:Polyradiculopathy / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history; D011187:Posture; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000266:history*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history