Background
He was born at Street Albans, Hertfordshire and received his early education at Street Albans School (then located in the Lady Chapel of the Abbey).
He was born at Street Albans, Hertfordshire and received his early education at Street Albans School (then located in the Lady Chapel of the Abbey).
After a short time as a pupil of a surgeon in Barnsley (Yorkshire), he studied medicine at Leeds, Trinity College Dublin, Street Thomas" Hospital (becoming a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons (Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons) in 1841 and a Fellow (Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons) in 1844), and later in Paris, France.
He served as a naval surgeon in Malta, and then established his own practice in London in 1853. He also lectured at the Grosvenor School of Medicine (which later became the medical school of Street George"s Hospital). In 1877 was appointed Hunterian Professor of Surgery and Pathology at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (of which he was elected President in 1883 — in the same year he was created baronet).
From 1863 to 1896 he was surgeon to Queen Victoria"s household.
Wells specialized in obstetrics and ophthalmic surgery. He is recognized as a pioneer in abdominal surgery and is notable for having perfected ovariotomy.
He was also one of the earliest surgeons to make use of anaesthetics in operations. He published a number of important medical books and articles
He died after an attack of apoplexy on 31 January 1897 and is buried in Brompton Cemetery.