Sir John Struthers (1823-1899) and his ligament and arcade

Sir John Struthers, Scottish anatomist, professor, and surgeon, was an early advocate of clinical training in medical education, and his impact is still visible today. He was one of the first prominent anatomists in the United Kingdom to endorse Charles Darwin's controversial theory of natural selection, and his research reflected a desire to illustrate these ideas in cadaveric specimens. Struthers is remembered eponymously for 2 connective tissue condensations in the arm, an arcade and ligament, which may entrap the ulnar and median nerves, respectively. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, received a Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Glasgow, served on the General Medical Council from 1883 to 1891, was president of the Royal College of Surgeons from 1895 to 1897, and was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1898. Struthers' devotion to medical education and insistence on the importance of clinical training laid the foundation for current medical curricula around the world. His observations of sites of potential nerve entrapment in the arm are still taught to neurosurgical trainees today.