Nicolò Manuzzi (1639–1717) and the first report of the Indian Rhinoplasty1

SummaryThe Venetian adventurer Nicolò Manuzzi composed a detailed manuscript about the Moghul Empire late in the 17th century towards the end of his life. It contained an accurate description of the Indian Rhinoplasty. Although it was returned to Europe from India early in the 18th century it was never published. Had it been disseminated amongst the surgeons of the day we can speculate that the ‘BL’ letter to the Gentleman's Magazine in 1794 would not have been such a surgical ‘bombshell’ but more a damp squib!This paper records Manuzzi's story which finally came to light when his manuscript was translated into English and published in 1907. We believe that these details are not well known amongst plastic surgeons.