"Manu Sciente"
What is the meaning of the elements making up the Association’s Arms?
The Arms comprise a Shield, with two figures either side (“supporters”), a crest, badge and motto. An official description of arms is called a “blazon”, a strange combination of poorly punctuated, Latin, English and Norman French. The BAPS Blazon is contained below.
The BAPS Blazon
That is to say:“Gules the branch of an Apple-Tree cooped and leaved proper fructed Or with a slip of Apple tree leaved also proper grafted to the top in dexter chief a Dagger in bend point upwards Gold around the hilt and handle a thread loosely tied Argent. Crest On a Wreath of the Colours Upon a Rock a Lizard proper as the Same are in the Margin hereof more plainly depicted. And by the Authority aforesaid We do further grant and assign the following Device or Badge that is to say: A dagger point upwards proper hit and pomel Or around the hilt and handle a Thread loosely tied Sable. And by the Authority further grant and assign the Supporters following for the BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF PLASTIC SURGEONS that is to say: the dexter side a figure representing Podalirius habited in a Robe Argent resting his exterior Hand on a Staff Or enteined by a Serpent and on the sinister side a figure representing Machaon habited as the dexter holding in his exterior Hand a Dart broken the point downwards Gold around the neck of each figure a garland of Flowers of the British Empire as the same are also in the margin hereof more plainly depicted the whole to be bourne and used for the British Association of Plastic Surgeons on Seals, Shields or Otherwise according to the Laws of Arms.”
The Motto, “Manu Sciente” means “with a skilled hand” and was suggested to John Barron by Captain P. Dudley-Hill, a classical scholar and friend. The shield forms the “badge” and is a representation of plastic surgical craft. A grafted slip of apple tree symbolizes the process of tissue healing so central to plastic surgery, a dagger intertwined by thread representing the surgeon’s knife and suture.
The “lizard” standing upon the crest is identified as a creature with the ability to re-grow lost parts, an ideal desirable in reconstructive surgery, but as yet unachievable in humans. This was later to become the updated symbol of BAPRAS, re-incarnated as a Salamander[ LINK].The supporters are Machaon and Podalirius, the two sons of Aesclapius, Greek God of Healing. Both are famed in mythology for their abilities in managing difficult wounds. They wear flowers of the Commonwealth, being the initial area of the Association’s influence. Podalirius holds the Rod of Aesclapius, a traditional sign of medicine. Machaon, is known as the “Father of Surgery” and holds a broken arrow, symbolic of his restorative surgical abilities.