A woman sitting in a chair is having her arm prepared for minor surgery; a physician is applying a tourniquet, an assistant stands ready with a basin. The woman holds a cloth over her lap to protect her clothing. In Europe in the 13th century a new type of craftsmen emerged in towns; the barber-surgeon. They cut hair, pulled teeth and performed simple operations such as amputations and setting broken bones and looking after soldiers during or after a battle. Barber-surgeons performed a technique for reconstructing the nose paving the way for the development of modern plastic surgery. The barber surgeon was one of the most common medical practitioners of medieval Europe. In 1745 a bill was passed separating barbers from surgeons. When the barber-surgeons separated, the barber kept the pole as their identification. The pole consists of red and white, or red, white and blue stripes. Red for blood, white for bandages and blue for veins. Etching by Abraham Bosse.