Evolution of mould arthroplasty of the hip joint. 1948.

%ir Deall and Members of the Faculty of Medicine: I am deeply appreciative of the honour of addressing you to-day as the fourth Moynihan Lecturer. I am particularly happy because this invitation implies recognition of the specialty of orthopaedic surgery. I am very grateful that you have chosen me as a representative of my specialty to give this lecture. Arthroplasty is an operative procedure undertaken for the purpose of creating a joint. Such a joint, if it is going to stand up under the wear and tear of function, must be mechanically as nearly perfect as possible. Until recent ‘ears this procedure as applied to the hip joint has met with limited success. There were three main reasons: I . Surgical approaches were traumatic and inadequate ; surgical shock commonly occurrt’(l even before the joint was exposed (Fig. 1). 2. The joint created was defective because of lack of the proper instruments (Fig. 1). :3. The underlying principle, of interposing a perishable barrier between inlperfectlv shaped joint surfaces, was not sound (Fig. 2).