Lessons from 19th-century Edinburgh: a perspective on paraplegia management from 1876

This perspective revisits a case series of paraplegia 150 years ago by Dr. T. Grainger Stewart, read before the Medico-Chirurgical Society of Edinburgh, 7th June 1876, and published in the Edinburgh Medical Journal. In the absence of imaging or modern pharmacology, Stewart's clinical approach relied on meticulous observation, mechanistic reasoning, and multimodal intervention. He distinguished compressive from inflammatory myelopathy, recognised Brown-Séquard syndrome, and employed custom bracing, electrotherapy, and neurostimulants (strychnine) within a framework of constitutional support. His cases demonstrate an early form of neurorehabilitation and a therapeutic philosophy that emphasised optimism and active management, even in relapse. Re-examining these historical practices highlights foundational principles in spinal cord medicine: localisation, individualised support, and functional restoration, that remain relevant today, reminding us of the enduring importance of clinical acumen and holistic care in an era of advanced technology.