Ernest Arthur Freeman (20 September 1900 – 14 September 1975) was an English

orthopaedic Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternative spelling orthopaedics) is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal ...

surgeon. Freeman received his secondary education at

Westminster City School Westminster City School is a state-funded secondary Academy (English school), academy for boys, with a mixed sixth form, in City of Westminster, Westminster, London. The school educates over 800 students, with links to more than 100 different c ...

. In the last few weeks of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he was conscripted and served as a private in the

Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) was a line infantry regiment of the English and later the British Army from 1661 to 1959. It was the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, behind only the Royal Scots in the British Arm ...

Medical career

With his ex-serviceman's grant he entered

St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical School Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, commonly known as Barts or BL, is a medical and dental school in London, England. The school is part of Queen Mary University of London, a constituent college of the federal University of L ...

in 1919 as a student at the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...

. In 1925 he qualified with MRCS, LRCP. In 1927 he graduated with MB BS (Lond.) and qualified with FRCS. While employed at

St Bartholomew's Hospital St Bartholomew's Hospital, commonly known as Barts, is a teaching hospital located in the City of London. It was founded in 1123 by Rahere, and is currently run by Barts Health NHS Trust. History Early history Barts was founded in 1123 by ...

, he completed after house appointments and served as a junior demonstrator in

pathology Pathology is the study of disease. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in the context of modern medical treatme ...

. He joined George Gask's professorial unit as a third assistant in a team consisting of

Thomas Peel Dunhill Sir Thomas Peel Dunhill (3 December 1876 – 22 December 1957) was an Australian thyroid surgeon and honorary surgeon to the monarchs of the United Kingdom. A graduate of the University of Melbourne, where he earned his Bachelor of Medicine ...

Geoffrey Keynes Sir Geoffrey Langdon Keynes ( ; 25 March 1887, Cambridge – 5 July 1982, Cambridge) was a British surgeon and author. He began his career as a physician in World War I, before becoming a doctor at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London, where he ...

, and James Paterson Ross. Arriving in Wolverhampton, West Midlands in 1931, he was appointed to the Royal Hospital, Wolverhampton and became senior surgeon in fractures and

orthopaedics Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternative spelling orthopaedics) is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal ...

. He was also on the staff of the

Guest Hospital The Guest Hospital is a hospital in Dudley, West Midlands, England, part of the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust History Victorian origins Situated in Tipton Road, Dudley the buildings were originally constructed as almshouses in 1849 by the W ...

Dudley Dudley ( , ) is a market town in the West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically part of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. In the ...

, Bridgnorth Infirmary, Brosley and Wenlock Hospitals and Patshull Rehabilitation Clinic. In 1940, in the treatment of war casualties, he became associated with Patshull, which through his endeavours became a very active rehabilitation centre. When wounded soldiers began to arrive, Freeman founded an orthopaedic unit at

Wordsley Hospital Wordsley Hospital was an NHS hospital located in Wordsley, near Stourbridge, West Midlands, England. History The facility was built as part of the redevelopment of the Stourbridge workhouse between 1902 and 1904. It was extended in 1915 during ...

in Dudley. Freeman in 1938 described the eponymous

Freeman–Sheldon syndrome Freeman–Sheldon syndrome (FSS) is a very rare form of multiple congenital contracture (MCC) syndromes ( arthrogryposes) and is the most severe form of distal arthrogryposis (DA). It was originally described by Ernest Arthur Freeman and Joseph ...

. The foot deformities involved in two paediatric cases of the syndrome were brought to Freeman's attention for possible surgical correction. Freeman consulted with Joseph Harold Sheldon, who was an expert on diseases of bone, to help with the two medical cases.

Personal life

Freeman married Joan Mary Fisher Horrell (1912–2006) in Wolverhampton in 1950. He died on 14 September 1975 in Wolverhampton, West Midlands. Upon his death, he was survived by his widow, a son, and a daughter.

Selected publications

*wit E. A. Freeman:

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Freeman, Ernest Arthur 1900 births 1975 deaths People educated at Westminster City School Alumni of the Medical College of St Bartholomew's Hospital 20th-century English medical doctors Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 20th-century English surgeons