History of NUI Galway, the Science Faculty and associated scientists.

Sir Peter Freyer (1852-1921)

Sir Peter Freyer, originally from Galway, performed the first successful surgical operation to remove an enlarged prostate in 1900 in St. Peter’s Hospital in London. 

Peter Freyer was born near Clifden and studied at Queen’s College Galway.  He studied medicine and won first prize in seven subjects in the final examination.  After obtaining his degree in 1874 he joined the Indian Medical Service.  In 1888, while acting as civil surgeon to the Rajah of Rampar, Freyer discovered a stone in his patient’s bladder.  He then crushed the stone and removed the fragments.  The Rajah was extremely grateful and rewarded Freyer generously.  In 1896 he returned to England and joined the staff of St. Peter’s Hospital in London.  Prior to 1900 little was known about how to treat a man with an enlarged prostate.  It was Freyer who pioneered a new technique to remove such an enlarged gland.  In 1900 he performed the first prostatectomy in St. Peter’s Hospital.  His novel technique involved cutting through the bladder to access the prostate.  Despite the fact that five percent of his patients died due to complications, the operation was a huge improvement on previous operations and became the standard technique for fifty years. 

Freyer was a dextrous surgeon and showman.  He provided his own running commentary in both French and Hindustani to an audience of international surgeons. After cutting the bladder it took him three minutes to remove the prostate.  His success earned him fame, fortune and a knighthood and international urological conferences are still held in his honour.  His technique was eventually superseded in the 1950s by a new approach developed by another Irish surgeon, Terence Millin from Co. Down. 

Source:

Mary Mulvihill, Ingenious Ireland: A county-by-county exploration of Irish mysteries and marvels, Townhouse Publishers, Dublin 2002.

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