Sir Astley Cooper was a British physician who made significant contributions to the understanding of vascular surgery, hernias and the anatomy and diseases of reproductive organs. Between 1804 and 1807, he published this book on hernias, which would become one of his most famous works. Its importance to the medical community ensured that by 1813, Cooper's annual income rose to £21,000 and had earned him the position of professor of comparative anatomy at the Royal College of Surgeons in London.