The removal of a bullet from the heart of Robert Hugh Martin in 1918 stands as a testament to the clinical boldness of Charles Alfred Ballance. Born in Taunton in 1856, he rose to prominence as a central figure in British otology and neurotology, ultimately reshaping surgical protocols through his technical innovations and leadership in major London medical institutions.
Academic Foundations and Institutional Roles
After graduating from St Thomas' Hospital in 1881, Ballance advanced rapidly within the British medical establishment. He attained the status of Master of Surgery in 1882 and secured various surgical appointments at St Thomas' Hospital, eventually becoming a consulting surgeon there by 1919. His reach extended to the National Hospital, Queen Square, where he served in a similar consulting capacity starting in 1908. Between 1912 and 1926, he held the influential position of Chief Surgeon of the Metropolitan Police, balancing his clinical work with public administrative duties.
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Take the IQ test →Contributions to Surgical Technique
Ballance is documented for several pioneering surgical procedures that moved the field of neurology forward. He performed the first facial nerve to spinal accessory nerve anastomosis to treat facial palsy, a technique that marked a significant departure from previous standard practices. Furthermore, he executed the first successful total removal of a cerebellopontine angle tumor. His technical portfolio also included performing radical mastoidectomies with jugular vein ligation and sectioning the vestibulocochlear nerve to address intractable vertigo. His expertise was captured in over 75 published articles, most notably the 1919 text, Essays on the Surgery of the Temporal bone.
Military Service and Later Honours
During the First World War, Ballance deployed to Malta, where he coordinated and managed military medical facilities alongside Charles Symonds. This service earned him a knighthood of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. Throughout his career, his professional standing was formally recognized through multiple distinctions. He was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order in 1906, a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1916, and eventually a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George. In 1933, he received the Lister Medal and delivered the Lister Memorial Lecture, which focused on advancements in nerve surgery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1856, Taunton
- Died: 1936, London
- Chief Surgeon, Metropolitan Police: 1912-1926
- First President, Society of British Neurological Surgeons: 1927
- Lister Medal recipient: 1933
- Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
- Spouse: Sophia Annie Smart
- Burial: Golders Green crematorium
Questions readers ask
What is Ballance's sign?
It is a medical indicator characterized by fixed dullness in the left flank and shifting dullness in the right flank, typically associated with a ruptured spleen following abdominal trauma.
Did Ballance contribute to cardiac surgery?
Yes, in 1918 he attempted to remove a bullet from the heart of a soldier, Robert Hugh Martin; though the patient later died, the procedure remains a notable early example of cardiac intervention.
Achievements
- Lister Medal — 1933
- Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
