ABOUT "SURGEONS"

"Remember, the first surgeons were barbers and would tie their bloodied bandages outside the shop to dry (The windblown bandages wrapping around poles gave to the traditional barber-pole emblem)"*. Later in time, the emblem was replaced by a wooden pole of white and red stripes. Most early physicians disdained surgery and the barbers did surgery of wounds, blood-letting, cupping and leeching, enemas and extracting teeth.
Since the barbers were involved not only with haircutting, hairdressing and shaving but also with surgery, they were called barber-surgeons. They formed their first organization in France in 1094.


*Page 53, Time, December 13 2010