John Law Aymard
John Law Aymard was an English surgeon, born in Dagenham in 1865 who practiced in Ipswich before going to South Africa to gain experience in conflict surgery during the second Boer war of 1899 to 1902.
Having returned home, Captain Aymard, was allotted to the younger Gillies as his assistant. Like Gillies, an ear, nose and throat-trained surgeon, he joined him first at Aldershot, then Sidcup. This was perhaps the source of some antagonism between the two. Gillies described him as a “practitioner with an odd history”.
Aymard’s name appears in many of the wounded soldier’s records as the primary operating surgeon. He must have gained much skill and experience in the new form of surgery, but also involved himself in perhaps the most unpleasant episode of Gillies time at Sidcup.
Gillies laid claim to having devised the tube pedicle tissue transfer technique, referring to it as “my procedure”. Aymard thought the accolade was his, writing an article in the Lancet of 15th December 1917, claiming that his operation pre-dated that of Gillies. Aymard’s procedure was a nasal reconstruction using a long, 3 cm wide pedicled flap raised on the chest and shoulder “sewn together in the form of a tube”. Aymard’s claim is undermined by the actual surviving operation notes for his, and Gillies respective patients. Gillies procedure was performed on the 3rd October, whilst Aymard’s was on the 18th October 1917. However, neither man was actually first to use this method of reconstruction.
Nevertheless it is clear that Aymard was held in high regard by his colleagues. Perhaps as a result of the tubed-pedicle controversy, he decided to return to South Africa, where he remained for the rest of his career. Before he did so, the officers of the Queens Hospital arranged a farewell celebratory meal for him at the Bulls Head pub in Chislehurst, Kent, on 15th October 1917. The cartoon illustrated menu from this event, gently poking fun at their fellow officer, is shown here. On the reverse, are the signatures of the officers attending, which, despite their dispute, includes Gillies.
Aymard died on 17th January 1947, aged 81, of laryngeal carcinoma in East London, South Africa.