title: Ambroise Paré IV: The early history of artificial limbs (from robotic to prostheses).
abstract: One of the earliest written references to prosthetics is found in a book published in France in 1579. That year, French surgeon Ambroise Paré (1510-1590) published his complete works, part of which described some of the artificial limbs he fitted on his amputees. As a military surgeon, Paré had removed many a soldier's shattered arm or leg, and he eventually began designing and building artificial limbs to help the men who had been maimed.
authors.affiliation: Chirurgie Orthopedique, Hopital Henri Mondor, Paris, France. philippe.hernigou@hmn.aphp.fr
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hernigou
mesh_terms: D000674:Amputees; D001186:Artificial Limbs / Q000266:history*; D005602:France; D049669:History, 16th Century; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000266:history*; D012371:Robotics / Q000266:history*