To Aulus Cornelius Celsus, a Latin physician and philosopher, supposed to have lived in the time of Augustus, we owe the first authentic principles of the science. He was a most prolific writer and an urgent worker. After having introduced the Hippocratic system to the Romans he became known as the Roman Hippocrates. His best-known work handed down to us is the “De Medicina,” the first edition of which, divided into eight books, appeared in Florence in 1478. The seventh and eighth volumes, designated the “Surgical Bible,” contain much valuable data in reference to opinions and observations of the Alexandrian School of Medicine. In considering plastic operations about the face (Curta in auribus, labrisque ac naribus) he writes, “Ratio curationis ejus modi est; id quod curtatum est, in quadratum redigere; ab interoribus ejus angulis lineas transversas incidere, quæ citeriorem partem ab ulteriore ex toto diducant; deinda ea quæ resolvimus, in unum adducere. Si non satis junguntur, ultra lineas, quas ante fecimus, alias dua lunatas et ad plagam conversas immittere, quibus summa tantum cutis diducatur, sic enim fit, ut facilius quod adducitur, segui possit, quod non vi cogendum est, sed ita adducendum ut ex facili subsequatur; et dimissum non multum recedat.” Centuries elapsed before a clear understanding of the above was deduced. Several analyses have been advanced, those of O. Weber and Malgaigne being the most generally accepted. As shown in Fig. 1 the method advanced is one for the restoration or repair of an irregular defect about the face in which two transverse incisions forming angular skin flaps, dissected from the underlying tissue, are advanced, joining the denuded free ends. Should there be a lack of tissue to accomplish perfect coaptation a semilunar incision beyond either outer border is added, as shown in Fig. 2, which permits of greater traction, leaving two small quatrespheral areas to heal over by granulation: [Illustration: FIG. 1.—CELSUS INCISION FOR RESTORATION OF DEFECT.] [Illustration: FIG. 2.—CELSUS INCISION TO RELIEVE TENSION.] This is the oldest known reference to plastic surgery of times remote. From the Orient, however, Susrata in his Ayur-Veda, the exact period of which is unknown, discloses the use of rhinoplastic methods. For centuries following, and throughout the middle ages, the art seems to have waned and remained practically unknown, as far as is shown in the literature of that period.