ABSTRACT
John Banester (1533–1610) was an English anatomist, teacher and surgeon. Perhaps following Hippocrates’ dictum – ‘he who desires to practice surgery must go to war’ – he travelled on a military expedition to the continent ( 2 ). On his return, he gained a licence to practice medicine – albeit with the caveat that he should contact a colleague in cases of uncertainty. He passed on much that he had learned in Europe to his contemporaries, and was to show kindness to old soldiers for the rest of his career.
