James Moore and a quiet beginning of modern regional anaesthesia

That year, James Moore (1762–1860), a Scottish junior surgeon, published the first English book devoted solely to anaesthesia: ‘A Method of Preventing or Diminishing Pain in Several Operations of Surgery’. Using a purpose-made iron nerve compressor, Moore successfully anaesthetised the lower limb and completed a near-painless below-knee amputation with John Hunter (1728–1793).

Similarly, he also performed the first brachial plexus anaesthesia, introducing the concept of ‘plexus anaesthesia’. Beyond this achievement, Moore’s 50-page book covers essential perioperative practices that are still relevant today. With the recent rediscovery of a Moore’s compressor in Scotland by the authors, this paper critically analyses Moore’s contribution.