DEP/ABJ/3/2/26 | Notes of John Abercrombie: Mania | Individual loose items bound with string on the symptoms, causes, prognosis, diagnosis, management and treatment of mania. Includes case notes 1806-1807. | c1807 |
DEP/ABJ/3/5 | Notes of John Abercrombie: Volume 3 | Volume with notes on various medical subjects including measles, jaundice, interitis, colic, hydrocephalus, mania, ulcers, gout, cholera, cutaneous diseases, diseases of the stomach, liver disease, dropsy, children's diseases and the brain. Gives the symptoms and treatment but not cases except at p54-56. Undated. | c1811 |
DEP/ABJ/4/1/316 | Letter from James [Orr?], Crofthead, Scotland to John Abercrombie | Case of an unnamed man who took an oath not to drink for 20 years but then returned to his old habits. | 26 Feb 1833 |
DEP/ABJ/4/4/2 | Letter from Rbt [Robert] Lorimer, Haddington, Scotland to John Abercrombie relating to cholera | He writes about the cases of cholera he has seen, the treatments used, how alcoholism speeds the disease, symptoms and how the disease was spread into Haddington. A hospital has been established for the worst cases and in all there have been 37 or 38 cases with 16 deaths. | 9 Jan 1832 |
DEP/ALW/3/4/5 | Papers relating to the post-graduate medical diploma | From the collection of William Alister Alexander. Includes a speech probably by Alexander on the problem of post-graduate diplomas and the Diploma in Psychological Medicine particularly; correspondence between the Medico-Psychological Association and Alexander on training and examination in psychiatry in Scotland; minutes of meetings of representatives from the Faculties of Medicine of the four Scottish Universities and the three Scottish Royal Corporations, March 1950-June 1952; and the report of the Joint Committee on Post-Graduate Diplomas. | 1950-1953 |
DEP/ANO/9 | Volume of paintings of patients at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital | Volume with the title 'Bruised Reeds 1882' on the front cover. Contains twelve water colour paintings of patients at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. Each small painting is captioned with the patient's name and details of his case (all are male). There is also a painting on the first page of a pond in moonlight with reeds and a crow in a tree. The original manuscripts catalogue states that this is a copy of a volume held by the Lothian Health Services Archive amongst the Thomas Clouston papers. That volume is by John Myles (also known as Miles).
The additional information provided below about this volume and the portraits it contains was provided by Allan Beveridge in January 2020, based on his research in the Royal Edinburgh Asylum records held by the Lothian Health Services Archive (LHSA).
The LHSA has in its collections seven coloured drawings which are signed ‘JM’, and which give the patient’s name, their diagnosis, their patient number and their case book reference. The clinical information is written in pen, most probably by a clinician, and quite possibly by the Medical Superintendent of the Royal Edinburgh Asylum, Dr Thomas Clouston.
This volume which the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh holds contains twelve painted portraits, six of the same patients as those in the LHSA series and six further patients. These paintings are unsigned and are much cruder in their execution, suggesting they were done by another artist. They have an accompanying hand-written text, which gives the patient’s name and provides a brief clinical vignette. The hand-writing is different from that of the LHSA series though they may have also been written by a clinician. They would appear to be copies of the original John Miles’s portraits as they are much less detailed and they are less refined in rendering the patient’s facial features and clothing.
John Miles was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on the 21 May 1881. He was 59 years old, married and described as a ‘Portrait Painter’. He was a pauper patient from Saint Cuthbert’s and he had been admitted via the Royal Infirmary. On 16 October 16 he was discharged ‘Recovered’.
The portraits:
Andrew Simpson was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 5 March, 1880. He was a 55 year-old married baker. He lived at 53 Bristo Street, Edinburgh and was a pauper patient from St Cuthbert’s. He was diagnosed with melancholia. He died in the asylum on 7 July 1883. His cause of death was given as: ‘Phthisis Pulmonalis’, ‘Kidney Disease’ and ‘Brain Disease’.
George Lumsden was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 22 July 22 1867. He was single and of no occupation. No age was given. His diagnosis was ‘Epileptic Imbecility’. He died in 1893 of ‘Epilepsy – 34 years. Pneumonia 3 days’. The accompanying text appears to be inaccurate, at least in terms of what the case notes state. He is called ‘James’, rather than ‘George’ and is said to have been blind since birth. This was not mentioned in the case notes and surely would have been if true. He was described as playing the violin not particularly well and to have a bad temper, though the case notes described him as good-natured.
George Dickson was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on the 6 May 1870. He was 60 years old, and had been admitted previously in 1852. He was widowed and a joiner. He lived at 3 North Saint James Street, Edinburgh. The existing attack had lasted 6 months. He was not epileptic, suicidal or dangerous.
James Laurie was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 20 January 1877. He was 13 years old. He had no education and was a pauper patient who was transferred from St Cuthbert’s Poorhouse. The predisposing factor was ‘Congenital’. On physical examination, James was found to be paralysed on the left side and his left foot was clubbed. He was epileptic. The diagnosis was ‘Idiocy’. On 7 November 1884, James died. The Cause of Death was Brain Disease and Phthisis Pulmonalis, duration one year. He was 20 years old.
William Archibald was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 1 January 1880. He was 28 years old, married and a cook. He lived at 25 East London Street, Edinburgh and was a pauper patient from St Cuthbert’s. The diagnosis was ‘General Paralysis’. On 24 January 1890, he died of Bronchopneumonia. The text says he was about 40 years old, though according to the case notes he was 30.
William Beattie was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on the 17 April 1880. He was 45 years old, single, and a tailor. He was a pauper patient from St Cuthbert’s and had been transferred from Dundee Royal Asylum. His Transfer Certificate recorded: ‘He is deaf, dumb, and in a frail state of bodily health’. The diagnosis was ‘Melancholia’.
William Walls was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 4 April 1879. He was 48 years old and was described as a married shopkeeper or merchant. He was a private patient and lived at 148 Links, Kirkcaldy. The diagnosis was ‘Melancholia’. In the text that accompanies his portrait, William Walls’s surname is misspelt as ‘Wells’. It also states that he was ‘ill through loose living’, though there is no mention of this in the case notes.
Thomas Shuster was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 20 September 1878. He was 23 years old, single and described as a labourer. He lived at 5 St John’s Hill, Edinburgh and was a pauper patient from St Cuthbert’s. The diagnosis was ‘Mania’. On 23 October 1878, Shuster was discharged recovered. Between 1879 and 1885 Shuster had four further admissions, all with the diagnosis of ‘Mania’. Shuster was eventually discharged relieved on 20 October 1890. His name is spelt wrongly and he is said to have suffered a shock through disappointment in love, whereas the case notes stated that the cause of insanity was ‘fright’.
David Thomson was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 1 April 1882. He was 24 years old, single and described as a mason. He was from St Cuthbert’s Parish. He was said to have a hereditary predisposition and was considered to be suicidal and dangerous. In November 1899, he was transferred to Craiglockhart, ‘Not Improved’.
Charles Young was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 8 March 1880. He was 36 years old, single and described as a journeyman and upholsterer. He lived at 204 Rose Street and was a pauper patient from the City Parish. The diagnosis was ‘General Paralysis’ and he died of ‘General Paralysis of the Insane’ on 3 December 1882.
James McNeil was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 1 June 1882. He was 66 years old, single and described as a labourer. He was a pauper patient from Inveresk Combination Poorhouse. The diagnosis was ‘Melancholia’. On 12 December, he died of heart disease and softening of the brain.
| 1882 |
DEP/ANO/46 | Sketched colour illustrations of the human body and diseases, with related notes | Images include: heart, lung, kidney, stomach showing death from inebriation [James Churnside], stomach showing impact of suicide by arsenic [Mary Gooche], rope marks from a man who hung himself, cancerous tumours, amputated knee joint [James Robertson], various Royal Infirmary amputations, leg of a 'middle aged sailor who had suffered from bad provisions of water on a sea voyage'.
Most images have information on the rear as to their contents. There are further written descriptions which are not clearly associated with a particular image. The folder containing the images has what appears to be ['I N Watson, 51 Queen St'] written on it.
Also contains clippings of images from medical publications, a print map of Edinburgh, a traced map of Fife, sketches which appear to be of a court case ['The Hustings, Edinburgh, 1834'], a prescription for an unnamed patient, a print of 'Mr Liston's case' from the Edinburgh Medical Journal with 'Alex Watson' written on it, a poem, and sketches of 'vaccina 1821'. | 1821-1840s |
DEP/AWP/5/1/175 | Untitled essays on the mental faculties by William Pulteney Alison | Various sections including 'Questions regarding mental capacity'; 'Physiological sketch of the mental faculties'; 'Appetites, Desires, Duties'; 'Modification of Mental Faculties during the progress of Life'; 'Outline of Lessons on the Mental Faculties'; 'Nomenclature regarding insanity, mania, melancolia and amentia in Cullen's Synopsis'; and 'Arnold's Distinctions of Insanity'. Draft copies. | 1820s - 1850s |
DEP/AWP/5/2/13 | [C] IId - [Notes on various subjects by William Pulteney Alison] | Includes the origin of evil, freedom of thought, alcoholism, poverty and disease, hospital beds for prostitutes, the industrial employment of women and science and faith. Dated from a reference on p2 of the essay on alcoholism. | c1857 |
DEP/BAM | Collection of Mike Barfoot | | [Late 1970s-2000s] |
DEP/BAM/1 | Transcriptions of talks delivered by Mike Barfoot | The talks are: Club of Science Studies Unit, Edinburgh (late 1970s), 'Interests and Instincts' Scottish [Philosophy Seminar], Edinburgh (early 1980s), 'Gregory on Causation Activity and Language' Wellcome Seminar, Edinburgh (27 March 1985), 'Clinical Medicine at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in the Eighteenth Century' George Drummond Tercentenary Lecture, Edinburgh City Chambers (1986), 'George Drummond' The Legacy of Adam Smith Symposium, Vancouver (September 1990), 'Adam Smith and William Cullen: Hypochondriasis and the Pathology of the Imagination' Wellcome Symposium, London (19 February 1993), 'Desirous of Power Over the Minds of Men: The Early Life of Thomas Laycock, 1812-1876' Edinburgh History of Medicine Group Seminar (16 March 1994), 'To Ask the Suffrages of the Patrons: Thomas Laycock's Election tot he Edinburgh Practice of Physic Chair, 1855' Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Symposium (27 September 1995), 'The Body Politic: Bennett's Edinburgh Career, 1848-1875' Symposium in Memory of Professor William Parry-Jones, History of Psychiatry in Scotland (10 October 1998), 'Peribinkles and the Tiger's Head: Making-out as an Asylum Assistant Physician in Nineteenth-Century Scotland' Wellcome Seminar [early 1990s?], 'Thomas Clouston' British Society for the History of Medicine, Edinburgh conference (1990s), 'Edinburgh's Infirmary in the 18th century - The Birth of the Clinic?' Talk from unknown event (12 March 2008), 'Alexander Morison' Wellcome Trust Regional Forum, University of Glasgow (10 October 2009), 'David Skae's Lectures on Insanity at the Royal Edinburgh Asylum' 'Paper given at Aberdeen and perhaps elsewhere' (early 2000s), 'Love's Labour's Lost: The Work, Exercise and Health of Pauper Inmates of Nineteenth Century Scottish Asylums' Wellcome History of Psychology Conference, [2000s?], 'A 19th century Lit. and Ill Society: The Royal Edinburgh Asylum Library Club' | [Late 1970s-2000s] |
DEP/BAN | Collection of Alexander Ninian Bruce | | 1905-1929 |
DEP/BLE/1 | Student notes of Henry Blegborough from lectures of Alexander Monro on osteology, neurology and... | Title as given on volume is 'A Few Observations upon the Osteology, Neurology and Angiology collected from the lectures of Alexr [Alexander] Monro Professor of Anatomy & Surgery in the University of Edinburgh & FMS'.
The title page is inscribed 'Sciptr [scriptorum] per Henricus Blegborough Academiae Edinensis 1754'. | 1754 |
DEP/BOH/4/5 | 'Praelectiones Clinicae', by Herman Boerhaave | 'Lectores Clinicae etc H Boerhaave Volume V'. The headings are: 'De Comate', 'De Epilepsia', 'De Cephalalgia', 'De Hystericis' (in Latin and English), 'De Fluxu Mens.', 'Sanguinis', 'Canero mamma', 'Cardialgia', 'De Herpe', 'Hypochondriacis', 'Rancidine', 'Contractura', 'Morbus Anomalus', 'Hepate', 'Mania', 'Atheroma' (in English) and 'A Strained Wrist' (in English). Index at rear. | c1735 |
DEP/BRA | Collection of Professor Alexander Brown | | 1965 |
DEP/BRE | Collection of Edwin Bramwell | | c1868-1953 |
DEP/BRE/1/8 | Diary of Edwin Bramwell, volume 8 | Includes cuttings on Sir Andrew Cunningham; Byrom Stanley Bramwell's pronouncement as secretary of the Eugenics Society Council; review of Kinnier Wilson's 'Neurology'; the wedding of Hilda Byrom Bramwell; Churchill's speech, June 18th; and Germany's armistice terms to France. | 1 Jan 1940-6 Sep 1940 |
DEP/BRE/2/1 | [Rough Notes on Recollections Volume 1] by Edwin Bramwell | Chapter headings are: my health; my early contacts with Sir William Turner and Professor D J Cunningham; honorary degrees; peace and war; the determination of a war; persecution of the Jews; Lord Haldane's part in the first world war; 'I might have stopped the war'; the Crown Prince Frederick and his illness; the Buccleuchs and the Guelphs; upon surnames; the transmission of congenital deformities of the hands; children's remarks; speaking in public; Sir James Barrie as a speaker; the brain that doesn't tire; a cure for the tobacco habit; Capetown to Freemantle - the journey across Australia - Canberra and the Halford Oration; the first international Neurological Congress; Sir James Mackenzie; the country gentleman; the nouveau riche; Professor Greenfield; neurology and psychiatry - their respective scopes; the Heptagon Club; Sir James Purves-Stewart; Sir Robert Hutchison; Rt Hon the Viscount Dawson of Penn; Lewis Smith; Sir Frederick Menzies; Lord Macmillan; Viscount Dunedin of Stenton; Earl of Rosebery; fishing on the Laerdal; Frankfort [sic] in 1898; I go abroad for work and pleasure; the Russian rumour - Colonel Mason-Macfarlane; Bessemer of steel fame and the Encyclopaedia Britannica; de Ramsey and the hair ball in the King's stomach; some absent-minded professors; some old people I have met; and earliest recollections. Includes an additional different copy of 'Early Recollections'. Some pencil amendments throughout and the dates 1945 and May 1943 added in pencil at different locations. | 1943-1945 |
DEP/BRE/2/4 | Memoirs Volume 2 by Edwin Bramwell | Chapters are: Freiburg, Germany - Munich, Germany - Frankfort, Germany; Heidelberg, Germany - BMA [British Medical Association] meeting Edinburgh, Scotland - Paris, France; the National Hospital as I knew it in 1900; Edinburgh, Scotland and the prospect - the Professorship of Medicine in 1900; Beginnings in Practice - first consultation - Leith Hospital - John Thomson and James Mackenzie - RCP [Royal College of Physicians] Laboratory - Medico-Chirurgical and Galenian Societies; and Research - Sir Thomas Lewis - Sir Frederick Banting - review of Neurology and Psychiatry - Medical Societies in Edinburgh. Pages 61-134. | 1945 |
DEP/BRE/2/6 | [Memoirs Volume 4 by Edwin Bramwell] | This volume is less organised than BRE/2/1-5. Loose sheet at the front lists the chapters: the first great war; physician to RIE [Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh] - lecturer on neurology - Professor of Clinical Medicine; Laennec celebration in Paris - lectures at Basle - first International Congress at Berne - Neurological Section of RSM [Royal Society of Medicine] visits Amsterdam; Chair of Medicine 1927; President RCPE [Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh] I retire from my chair and RIE appointment - President Association of British Neurologists - LLD [Legum Doctor]; visit of BMA to Australia; Illness; Came to 29 Ormidale Terrace. This is followed by a list headed 'Possible headings for further chapters in memoirs'.
The actual chapters are: The Years of the First Great War; the Chair of Medicine in 1927 (which includes diary entries for July 13th to February 24th 1928); the BMA [British Medical Association] - Annual Meetings I have Attended - BMA Lectures. At the rear were handwritten notes for chapters titled 'The Physician as a reader of and contributor to medical literature' and 'The Physician as reader and writer' with a list of prominent medical men Bramwell had known or met; a typed chapter 22 'The Medical Man and the Literature'; a journal of a visit to Basle where according to an annotation he was invited by the university to give a short course of lectures; rough handwritten chronological biography; list of journey abroad for work and sport and BMA meetings attended; and an index. | 1945 |