The Doctors

Without today’s medical technology, it was very difficult to be absolutely certain about what is happening beneath the surface of a patient’s skin. In lieu of x-rays and MRI’s, physicians – like Faxon and Hawkes – would have relied on primary sensory tools to asses a condition such as Lowell’s and to determine the appropriate way in which to proceed. Doctors used their anatomical understanding (as gained through human dissections) alongside palpations and visual cues in order to resolve that something was unusual, or out of place. Once confident in their assessment, they turned to various surgical techniques (without the luxury of anesthesia) including the use of pulley systems and weights in the hopes of relieving their patients’ discomfort in the most effective way possible.