This British surgeon was renowned for his speed and efficiency at the operating table, at a time before anaesthetics. This leads Dr Frank onto one of the most common surgical procedures of today, but why do we have an appendix?

<p>This British surgeon was renowned for his speed and efficiency at the operating table, at a time before anaesthetics. This leads Dr Frank onto one of the most common surgical procedures of today, but why do we have an appendix?</p>

In Part One of each episode, Dr Frank will talk about a famous figure from history who suffered from an illness or had a disability. At that time, no-one knew or understood what may have caused the problem, or how to treat it - It was a mystery at the time. In Part Two of the episode, Dr Frank will discuss that same or similar illness or ailment in a modern-day context, and many times it has remained a mystery. Each two-part episode will be intriguing and informative.