Stephen Paget

Born in London on July 17, 1855, Stephen Paget was the son of the noted surgeon Sir James Paget. He trained in medicine, became a surgeon, and built a career that combined clinical work with a gift for clear, energetic writing.

Paget is especially associated with cancer research. He is remembered for describing the idea that cancer cells spread more successfully in some organs than others, an insight that became known as the "seed and soil" theory of metastasis. Alongside his medical work, he wrote widely on surgery, medical history, and public questions surrounding scientific research.

He was also a prominent public defender of animal experimentation, writing and speaking in favor of its role in medical progress. Paget died on May 8, 1926, in Limpsfield, Surrey, leaving behind a body of work that connects medicine, science, and public debate.