Pott's disease before Pott.

Pott's disease, i.e. caries of the spine with gibbosity, psoas abscesses and palsy, has been known since antiquity, its relation with tuberculosis suspected, as is seen in the Hippocratic writings. In the 18th century cases were studied in France and England; in the Netherlands by Hovius, Camper, Bonn and Coopmans. The most lucid descriptions however were those of SIR PERCIVALL POTT (1779). An annotated Dutch translation by DU PUI (1779) called attention to the treatment of this disease which was on the increase. In retrospect the eponym 'Pott's disease' seems well deserved.