Experimental procedure on a royal skull base.

Abstract

In 1403, in the battle of Shrewsbury, young Prince Henry, the future Henry V of England (1387-1422), was seriously wounded by an arrow that struck him under his left eye and reached the base of his skull. That he survived was thanks to John Bradmore (date of birth unknown; died 1412), a surgeon and also a metalworker, who designed an original instrument enabling progressive extraction of the arrowhead. He then applied irrigation with wine, honey dressings and a resinous ointment, which achieved healing in 20 days. This story is an illustration of the creativity and experimental attitude at the heart of medical intervention: faced with a desperate situation, Bradmore proved able to invent and apply an adapted solution. The Prince's recovery had major historic consequences: Henry V went on the lead the victorious battle of Agincourt, impose the treaty of Troyes on France and turn relations between the two countries upside down. Little known in France but renowned in Britain, this achievement stands as a reminder that surgical ingenuity can change the destiny not only of a patient but also of nations.