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A HISTORY OF NITROUS OXIDE AND OXYGEN ANAESTHESIA IVD: HENRY HILL HICKMAN IN HIS TIME
Br.J. Anaesth. (1978), 50, 623
A HISTORY OF NITROUS OXIDE AND OXYGEN ANAESTHESIA IVD: HENRY HILL HICKMAN IN HIS TIME W.
D.
A.
SMITH
SUMMARY
Fresh evidence of Hickman in Ludlow is recorded: an advertisement for an apprentice and an annotation in the Shrewsbury Chronicle relate to his private museum. This and his household goods were auctioned in 1824. That he may have been inspired by Benjamin Collins Brodie is considered.
Hickman's museum An annotation in the Shrewsbury Chronicle of November 7, 1823, relates to Hickman's collection and suggests that it seemed important to him at the time:
two aortae to supply the body, and two vessels to supply the lungs; two livers and four kidneys; two bladders; two spleens; and two sets ofintestines. The body forms a division at rights angles from the navel downwards. Dr. H. in a paper on the Monstrosity of the Foetus concludes by saying 'Philosophers and Anatomists have in general attempted to account for the unnatural formations of the foetus (as produced by different animals) on principles relative to the anatomical structure in the generative parts of the female, but such principles tend to mislead others and urge them to wild and extravagant theories. That such monsters are formed we all know; by how they acquire an unnatural shape and superabundance of structure we are at present totally ignorant'." No evidence has been found of a paper read or written by Hickman on the monstrosity of the foetus. The reference may be merely to the paper submitted to the editor of the Shrewsbury Chronicle. Advertisement for an apprentice Mention of the museum identifies the following advertisement of February 23,1821, as most probably inserted in the Shrewsbury Chronicle by Hickman. "Medical Profession
"Dr. Hickman of Ludlow, in this county, has in his museum a Pig, the Anatomical Structure of which is as extraordinary as it is unaccountable. The minute anatomy is not given; but the external appearances are—one head; two eyes; four ears; eight legs; two tails. The internal structure—one tongue; one wind pipe; one oesophagus and stomach; one heart having four circulations, (viz.) W. D. A. SMITH, O.B.E., M.D., F.F.A.R.C.S.; Department of
Anaesthesia, Leeds University, Leeds, Yorks. 0007-0912/78/0050-0623 $01.00 50
ANY Gentleman wishing to bring up his Son to the Medical Profession, may place him in a Situation where he may be treated in a manner highly respectable, and have the different branches of his profession (with their connections) carefully [• pointed out, and Annual Demonstrations in Ana1 tomy, as regular as in London, a knowledge of [ which is the only sound basis to philosophical f researches, and on which his success in practice alone will depend. Besides this he will have for bis use a Museum, explanatory of Ornithology, © Macmillan Journals Ltd 1978
Downloaded from http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/ at Karolinska Institutet on July 30, 2015
Hickman's auction The house where Hickman established his first practice in Corve Street, Ludlow, has not been identified. It must have accommodated the furniture listed in the notice of Auction shown in figure 1, which has only recently come to light. This was printed on April 28, 1824. The auction was announced for May 24, 25, 26. It relates to Hickman's move from Ludlow to Shifnal. The downstairs furniture was "new within a short time, of choice wood and elegant design", and upstairs it was "very superior". Of particular interest is the "curious collection of stuffed birds and animals . . . including nearly two hundred different subjects". It was presumably more practicable to sell up and to start again than to move everything the 30 miles from Ludlow to Shifnal. One can only speculate how Hickman was able to set up on this scale, where the "curious collection" came from and what it meant to Hickman to part with it.
624
BRITISH JOURNAL OF ANAESTHESIA
'"
LUDLOW.
_
The Publifc*^, , cf tfidlv infonned that the valuable Modern Furniture, Bedding,kc. T ' ' «iili a wry curious Collection of
STUFFED BIRDS & ANIMALS, r r n
« fM r . I I K M K
1 1 1 . K M A N , CVI In. i » l r a » i n «
I . I l i l u " . 1 " ' I I •»• - i i l ' i m i ' " ! i "
Afrl C X I P % THK
FURNITURE, ;
iXFAV \\"ETEEIS A.
I s «>(' C ' l i o i r r iliilio!r;niv a n d UI>SC-« » i n t ; - n i i i i i i T u U I r s , < ' l u i i r s . S c r r i ' l n i r r a n i l l$<»>k- r c y M t i r r r i i a m i ( h i n t / ( <>\trs itnd \ M n l : i l i l i . liiiuir <>n ' - i l t I ' o l c , « i l l i I ' n i i r l i I t i n ^ . S c i i r l r f I V m t c i l d i t t o o n «.••iI;LVS n i t l i d i l l I M . i s r c r l'r:ini< .Mriivv. K a n d oth< r ( a i j u l s a n d l l . a r t l i l i n e ' s . I l a n d s o m r F e n d e r s o n I t r i i s s Moiili'.i^s a n d ( I n n l ' . ( I, SlitliiiLr 1 ' i r c ' I r o n s . \ < - . \ « . Tin- r(>-»tii(ii-ri«r. !!••(!« of fiur (MHINO Krallicrf. ii|i«m Inflv r«r>rt) l-l*o«l I V J i t r x l * . « i t h K i m n M o n i - n Knpnrrr, li.ii.il-inn Orninii-iilc-.l ( inn >|iv Ki|>, full I r i i n m r . l n i l l i li;ill I r u i ^ . ; T.-nt, R u m . u . anil o l d e r Hc.l-lri4.t- tuiil lii^ilt^-*, .Miillrr**c». l>rr—in^ Tiili»"», Cam* |i;.inl^il inrlo*^il I)r*"*-in2 <"nw», I V r .mil Swini: « . ! . . « « • . Malmi'ali.V \\r.lroln- w i l l . S t i i i i n s T r . i \ - . |.air o f l l i n v IK i ; l l l M;.ll.i;all) ItnUlrpa r u u i | i ! r l r l ) DUlil. n r w <>nk ( l i r > l w i t h / a n r r - , Hrl.iy ( I . M k in n r « I).. I, ( •••, II.ill < l u i i > , mill Hut Hlnnci, iinil n grnrrul i»f K»c< U* r. r. Riv[i!t-i*«iAr C l
Tlie V»re Collection of Stuffed II.
II*
I.I
l n ,, I.. |,..|
», II,.-
April 2!«, IH2I.-T. (.riinili«, l'rintrr, BiiU-Hinj;. liiidlow.
FIG. 1. Handbill advertising the auction of Hickman's furniture on May 24, 25 and 26, 1824. (Private collection of Mr John Norton.)
Botany, Mineralogy, Conchology, Entymology &c. For further particulars address letters post paid, to Mr Wm. FELTON, Bookseller, Ludlow."
then and presumably a house to put it in. He implied interest in philosophical research, knowledge of anatomical demonstrations in London and competence to teach. The advertisement was not repeated the This suggests that he was setting up practice in following week but it appeared again in each of the Ludlow by February 1821. He had his museum by four subsequent weeks. This was an unusually long
Downloaded from http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/ at Karolinska Institutet on July 30, 2015
Oil Monday^ uesdny, anil Wednesday, tin- 2 1 l l i "i-jlli iinil 2<»th days OI'MHV, 1824
HENRY HILL HICKMAN IN HIS TIME
their diseases as well as the Science which treats of their classification, manners, in short what is commonly called their history. Mr. Coindet opposed this arrangement as not quite agreeing with the intention of the Medical Society & as offering many inconveniences in the disposition of the preparations; he then proposed that it be divided into two compartments viz: the anatomical comprehending all what refers more particularly to medical science & 2ndly the department of natural history comprehending botany, mineralogy & zoonomy. . . . This was agreed by the committee." The signatures were headed by that of John Charles Coindet who was one of Hickman's sponsors when he joined the Royal Medical Society (Smith, 1970a). Stroud was another of his sponsors and his signature soon appeared in the Minute Book, which recorded donations from both of them. Coindet donated upwards of 2000 specimens of dried plants, preparations of the cerebral system of cod and skate and of the muscular system of mussel, and minerals from Elba including specimens of Leverite. Thus Hickman joined the Royal Medical Society when this museum was being actively set up and he had some contact with two of its leading members, although perhaps too much should not be read into Hickman's sponsorship.
The Royal Medical Society, Edinburgh Mention of a museum in an advertisement for an apprentice may have been unique, but museums were topical. Stroud (1820), for example, recorded in his History of the Royal Medical Society "The proposal of an Anatomical Museum, in the year 1811, and of a cabinet of Natural History, in 1818, although apparently encouraged by the rich Benjamin Collins Brodie in 1820-21 and nourishing state of the Society at each period, On February 5, 1821, Benjamin Collins Brodie was unattended by success. At length, in the spring rendered a guineapig insensible by ether under a bell of 1819, towards the close of a session of unexampled glass (Thomas, 1962). Thomas (personal communicaprosperity, the two plans were united, and the tion) has also suggested that Hickman might have foundations of a General Museum, designed to be known about this experiment, and that there might chiefly supported by voluntary contributions, was have been a similar experiment using carbon dioxide happily laid, by the appropriation of an adequate instead of ether. sum to its immediate outfit. During the ensuing The experiment using ether was not published at summer a small but suitable apartment was adapted the time. It was carried out only 18 days before the to the purpose in a manner obligingly suggested by Shrewsbury Chronicle printed the advertisement for an the Professor of Natural History in the University, apprentice which was probably inserted by Hickman. who was, in other respects, pleased to express a Hickman, therefore, was unlikely to have been in favourable disposition towards the infant London when the experiment was performed, establishment." although this possibility cannot be excluded altogether. Had Hickman known about it, however, he might at The first meeting of the Museum Committee of the least have tried using ether in his own experiments. Royal Medical Society was in April 1819, 7 months There is no evidence that he did. before Hickman matriculated. The Minutes record: There were indeed two similar experiments using carbon dioxide (Brodie MSS, St George's Hospital "The Committee met. Mr W. Stewart proposed Medical School). They were carried out on January that our collection should be divided into three 23, 1821, and they were referred to in a lecture "On departments, viz. those of zoonomy, botany and Death from noxious gases or confined air". This was mineralogy, including under the first head all the third of a series of lectures given by Brodie at the relative to the structure and function of animals, Royal College of Surgeons in 1821 (Brodie MSS,
Downloaded from http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/ at Karolinska Institutet on July 30, 2015
run for an advertisement for an apprentice and it probably indicates a poor response and that Hickman, or his agent, was in the neighbourhood throughout March 1821. It is just possible that the following advertisement of November 23, 1821, might also have been inserted by Hickman. It does not mention a museum (readers of the previous advertisement might have wondered about the relevance of conchology, entymology, etc. and said so), but it does mention comparative anatomy. "Medical Apprentice. Wanted a youth of about 15 or 16 as an APPRENTICE to a Medical Gentleman practicing Medicine and Surgery, on an extensive scale. He will have every part of his profession (and its connection with comparative anatomy) carefully pointed out, and his reading, morals and domestic comfort will be particularly attended to. For further particulars apply to the printer of this paper."
625
626 R.C.S.,) but the precise date is not known. The original record of the experiments is quoted below.
Expt. 2. At 35 m after 12 a smaller guinea pig was placed under the bell glass, & a stream of carbonic acid was admitted into it as before. He soon showed signs of uneasiness, & at 37 m after 12 lay on one side insensible, motionless, but making repeated attempts to breathe. At 38 m the stream of carbonic acid was stopped (the reservoir bag being empty). The animal lay in the same state but the attempts to respire became less frequent. At 40 minutes after 12 he was still gasping for breath but was insensible & otherwise motionless. He was now taken from under the bell glass & immediately began to make full inspirations, & more frequently than before. At 41 m he showed marks of returning sensibility, and he presently recovered & ran about as if nothing unusual had occurred."
There is an affinity between the second experiment and the experiments carried out by Hickman some time before 1824, for example: Experiment 1st March 20th. I took a puppy a month old and placed it on a piece of wood surrounded by water over which I put a glass cover so as to prevent access of atmospheric air; in ten minutes he showed great marks of uneasiness, in 12 respiration became difficult, and in 17 minutes ceased altogether, at 18 minutes I took off one of the Ears, which was not followed by hemorrhage, respiration soon returned and the animal did not appear to be the least sensible of pain; in three days the ear was completely healed. 2nd Four days after the same puppy was exposed to a decomposition of the carbonate of lime by sulphuric acid. In one minute respiration ceased. I cut off the other Ear which was followed by very trifling hemorrhage, and, as before, did not appear to suffer any pain, in four days the wound healed.... (Wellcome, 1930.) Hickman might have attended Brodie's lecture on "Death from noxious gases or confined air", but the timing is too tight for conviction. Alternatively, he might have been told about these experiments later, or sent transcripts of the lecture by an acquaintance. In this connection it may be noted that Mr Cutler and Mr Good were present at Brodie's experiments. Mr Cutler was admitted M.R.C.S. 2 months after Hickman with whom he might have been acquainted. There were also possible links with pupils at St George's Hospital. Around this time a James Cole from Bewdley (15 miles from Worcester and 11 miles from Stourbridge) was a pupil of Mr Gunning, and James Nash of Worcester was a pupil of Sir Everard Home. A likely individual was Christopher Foxton.* He was registered as pupil to Mr Brodie for 12 months w.e.f. October 4, 1822. He was the son of John Foxton, surgeon, of Broad Street, Ludlow—another practitioner who lived in Broad Street, Ludlow, was Hickman's friend Dr Thorp (Smith, 1970b). On January 5, 1818, John Foxton and Kenrick Watson, * Christopher Foxton was granted his Licentiateship of the Society of Apothecaries on September 2, 1824. He had been apprenticed to Griffith Francis Dorset Evans of Shrewsbury for 5 years and had spent 1 year as physician pupil in the Salop Dispensary (Guildhall Library, MS 8241).
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"Experiments Jany 23 1821 Present Mr Cutler Mr Good 1. A Guinea pig was placed under the same bell glass & on the same wooden stand as was used formerly in the expts on animal heat. A stream of carbonic acid from a large reservoir of this was made to pass thro' the bell glass by means of the pipe in the lower part, while a stop cock being opened at the upper part of the bell glass allowed air to escape above. This was begun at 22 minutes after twelve. At 24 minutes the animal showed signs of uneasiness. At 25 minutes he fell on one side apparently insensible, breathing at long intervals. He continued in this state until 30 minutes after twelve when the respirations appeared to have ceased. The animal was now taken out of the apparatus. He appeared quite dead, but the heart was felt thro' the ribs acting vigorously. At 31 minutes the lungs were sufficiently inflated by means of a pair of bellows with a tube inserted into the trachea. I cut into the chest and found the heart acting powerfully. The animal showed no signs of sensibility, but when the artificial respiration had been continued for about one minute the diaphragm began to act. The artificial respiration was discontinued; the diaphragm contracted several times, but as the chest was opened into these attempts to breathe were of course ineffectual. At 35 minutes the heart still acted tho' feebly, and there were tremulous contractions of the pectoral muscles, the major of which had been exposed, and these muscles contracted powerfully on being irritated with the point of a scalpel.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF ANAESTHESIA
HENRY HILL HICKMAN IN HIS TIME surgeons, certified Martha Mason, apprentice to John Hickman of Lady Halton (Hickman's father), as lame (Bromfield Parish Records in Salop County Record Office). Kenrick Watson was almost certainly a partner of Richard Jukes of Stourport. Charles Hastings, founder of the British Medical Association, was their apprentice (McMenemey, 1959). It is certainly credible that Hickman attended Brodie's concluding address of 1820, at the end of his course of lectures on comparative anatomy. This was devoted to John Hunter's museum. The following extract encourages the belief that he did.
Hickman could have witnessed both the birth of a museum at the Royal Medical Society and Brodie's active display of specimens from the established museum at the Royal College of Surgeons. In his concluding address Brodie also recommended study of these specimens between lectures. Hickman might have heard Brodie praise John Hunter, his museum and his philosophical researches. If he did, whether he took particular note of all this because he already had an interest in museums, or whether he acquired his own collection because of this experience, we may never know, but he would have had reason for mentioning it in his advertisement for an apprentice. Finally, it may be of interest just to note a slight affinity between (1) a passage in Brodie's Croonian Lecture on the Generation of Animal Heat, and passages in (2) Hickman's manuscript letter to T. A. Knight, and (3) his pamphlet: (1) "I have selected the above from a great number of similar experiments, which it would be needless to detail. It is sufficient to state that the general results are always the same." (Brodie, 1811.)
(2) "From a number of others I have selected the experiments now sent; each is correctly noted in as few words as possible, which I think will prove a vast object." (See Wellcome, 1930.) (3) " . . . and the experiments were often repeated, but as the results were all uniform, and as my chief object is to attract the attention of other medical men to the subject, I wish to do little more than state the general results." (Hickman, 1824.)
(To be continued. Acknowledgements and list of references will appear at the end of the next instalment, August issue.)
HISTOIRE DE L'ANESTHESIE PAR LE PROTOXYDE D'AZOTE ET L'OXYGENE IVD: HENRY HILL HICKMAN ET SON TEMPS RESUME
On vient de trouver de nouvelles preuves de la residence de Hickman a Ludlow: une annonce qu'il avait fait paraitre pour recruter un apprenti et un entrefilet dans le Shrewsbury Chronicle qui fait etat de son musee prive. Ce dernier et ses biens mobiliers ont et£ vendus aux encheres en 1824. On suppose qu'il pourrait avoir £te inspire par Benjamin Collins Brodie. EINE GESCHICHTE DER STICKOXYD- UND SAUERSTOFFNARKOSE IVD: HENRY HILL HICKMAN IN SEINER ZEIT ZUSAMMENFASSUNG
Weiteres Beweismaterial fiir den Aufenthalt Hickmans in Ludlow wird geboten: ein Inserat fiir einen Lehrling und eine Anmerkung im Blatt "Shrewsbury Chronicle" beziehen sich auf sein Privatmuseum. Dieses und seine Wohnungseinrichtung wurden im Jahre 1824 versteigert. Es wird erwogen, ob er durch Benjamin Collins Brodie inspiriert wurde. UNA HISTORIA DE LA ANESTESIA DE OXIDO NITROSO Y OXIGENO IVD: HENRY HILL HICKMAN EN SU TIEMPO SUMARIO
Se descubre una nueva evidencia de Hickman en Ludlow: un aviso en que se pide un aprendiz y una anotacidn en el Shrewsbury Chronicle en relacidn a su museo privado. Estos y sus enseres dom£sticos fueron rematados en 1824. Se considers la posibilidad de que pudo haber sido inspirado por Benjamin Collins Brodie.
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"Nor can I conclude the present course of lectures with a reference to the museum . . . without requesting your attention . . . while I endeavour to point out some of the advantages which those who are engaged in the scientific study of the surgical profession may expect to derive from the proper use of the treasures it contains. That distinguished anatomist and physiologist, who founded the collection, was endowed with such a combination of intellectual faculties as is rarely met with: but which, when it does occur, may be considered as fitting the individual . . . in a most remarkable manner, for philosophical researches . . ." (Brodie, 1820-21).
627
A HISTORY OF NITROUS OXIDE AND OXYGEN ANAESTHESIA IVD: HENRY HILL HICKMAN IN HIS TIME W.
D.
A.
SMITH
SUMMARY
Fresh evidence of Hickman in Ludlow is recorded: an advertisement for an apprentice and an annotation in the Shrewsbury Chronicle relate to his private museum. This and his household goods were auctioned in 1824. That he may have been inspired by Benjamin Collins Brodie is considered.
Hickman's museum An annotation in the Shrewsbury Chronicle of November 7, 1823, relates to Hickman's collection and suggests that it seemed important to him at the time:
two aortae to supply the body, and two vessels to supply the lungs; two livers and four kidneys; two bladders; two spleens; and two sets ofintestines. The body forms a division at rights angles from the navel downwards. Dr. H. in a paper on the Monstrosity of the Foetus concludes by saying 'Philosophers and Anatomists have in general attempted to account for the unnatural formations of the foetus (as produced by different animals) on principles relative to the anatomical structure in the generative parts of the female, but such principles tend to mislead others and urge them to wild and extravagant theories. That such monsters are formed we all know; by how they acquire an unnatural shape and superabundance of structure we are at present totally ignorant'." No evidence has been found of a paper read or written by Hickman on the monstrosity of the foetus. The reference may be merely to the paper submitted to the editor of the Shrewsbury Chronicle. Advertisement for an apprentice Mention of the museum identifies the following advertisement of February 23,1821, as most probably inserted in the Shrewsbury Chronicle by Hickman. "Medical Profession
"Dr. Hickman of Ludlow, in this county, has in his museum a Pig, the Anatomical Structure of which is as extraordinary as it is unaccountable. The minute anatomy is not given; but the external appearances are—one head; two eyes; four ears; eight legs; two tails. The internal structure—one tongue; one wind pipe; one oesophagus and stomach; one heart having four circulations, (viz.) W. D. A. SMITH, O.B.E., M.D., F.F.A.R.C.S.; Department of
Anaesthesia, Leeds University, Leeds, Yorks. 0007-0912/78/0050-0623 $01.00 50
ANY Gentleman wishing to bring up his Son to the Medical Profession, may place him in a Situation where he may be treated in a manner highly respectable, and have the different branches of his profession (with their connections) carefully [• pointed out, and Annual Demonstrations in Ana1 tomy, as regular as in London, a knowledge of [ which is the only sound basis to philosophical f researches, and on which his success in practice alone will depend. Besides this he will have for bis use a Museum, explanatory of Ornithology, © Macmillan Journals Ltd 1978
Downloaded from http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/ at Karolinska Institutet on July 30, 2015
Hickman's auction The house where Hickman established his first practice in Corve Street, Ludlow, has not been identified. It must have accommodated the furniture listed in the notice of Auction shown in figure 1, which has only recently come to light. This was printed on April 28, 1824. The auction was announced for May 24, 25, 26. It relates to Hickman's move from Ludlow to Shifnal. The downstairs furniture was "new within a short time, of choice wood and elegant design", and upstairs it was "very superior". Of particular interest is the "curious collection of stuffed birds and animals . . . including nearly two hundred different subjects". It was presumably more practicable to sell up and to start again than to move everything the 30 miles from Ludlow to Shifnal. One can only speculate how Hickman was able to set up on this scale, where the "curious collection" came from and what it meant to Hickman to part with it.
624
BRITISH JOURNAL OF ANAESTHESIA
'"
LUDLOW.
_
The Publifc*^, , cf tfidlv infonned that the valuable Modern Furniture, Bedding,kc. T ' ' «iili a wry curious Collection of
STUFFED BIRDS & ANIMALS, r r n
« fM r . I I K M K
1 1 1 . K M A N , CVI In. i » l r a » i n «
I . I l i l u " . 1 " ' I I •»• - i i l ' i m i ' " ! i "
Afrl C X I P % THK
FURNITURE, ;
iXFAV \\"ETEEIS A.
I s «>(' C ' l i o i r r i
Tlie V»re Collection of Stuffed II.
II*
I.I
l n ,, I.. |,..|
», II,.-
April 2!«, IH2I.-T. (.riinili«, l'rintrr, BiiU-Hinj;. liiidlow.
FIG. 1. Handbill advertising the auction of Hickman's furniture on May 24, 25 and 26, 1824. (Private collection of Mr John Norton.)
Botany, Mineralogy, Conchology, Entymology &c. For further particulars address letters post paid, to Mr Wm. FELTON, Bookseller, Ludlow."
then and presumably a house to put it in. He implied interest in philosophical research, knowledge of anatomical demonstrations in London and competence to teach. The advertisement was not repeated the This suggests that he was setting up practice in following week but it appeared again in each of the Ludlow by February 1821. He had his museum by four subsequent weeks. This was an unusually long
Downloaded from http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/ at Karolinska Institutet on July 30, 2015
Oil Monday^ uesdny, anil Wednesday, tin- 2 1 l l i "i-jlli iinil 2<»th days OI'MHV, 1824
HENRY HILL HICKMAN IN HIS TIME
their diseases as well as the Science which treats of their classification, manners, in short what is commonly called their history. Mr. Coindet opposed this arrangement as not quite agreeing with the intention of the Medical Society & as offering many inconveniences in the disposition of the preparations; he then proposed that it be divided into two compartments viz: the anatomical comprehending all what refers more particularly to medical science & 2ndly the department of natural history comprehending botany, mineralogy & zoonomy. . . . This was agreed by the committee." The signatures were headed by that of John Charles Coindet who was one of Hickman's sponsors when he joined the Royal Medical Society (Smith, 1970a). Stroud was another of his sponsors and his signature soon appeared in the Minute Book, which recorded donations from both of them. Coindet donated upwards of 2000 specimens of dried plants, preparations of the cerebral system of cod and skate and of the muscular system of mussel, and minerals from Elba including specimens of Leverite. Thus Hickman joined the Royal Medical Society when this museum was being actively set up and he had some contact with two of its leading members, although perhaps too much should not be read into Hickman's sponsorship.
The Royal Medical Society, Edinburgh Mention of a museum in an advertisement for an apprentice may have been unique, but museums were topical. Stroud (1820), for example, recorded in his History of the Royal Medical Society "The proposal of an Anatomical Museum, in the year 1811, and of a cabinet of Natural History, in 1818, although apparently encouraged by the rich Benjamin Collins Brodie in 1820-21 and nourishing state of the Society at each period, On February 5, 1821, Benjamin Collins Brodie was unattended by success. At length, in the spring rendered a guineapig insensible by ether under a bell of 1819, towards the close of a session of unexampled glass (Thomas, 1962). Thomas (personal communicaprosperity, the two plans were united, and the tion) has also suggested that Hickman might have foundations of a General Museum, designed to be known about this experiment, and that there might chiefly supported by voluntary contributions, was have been a similar experiment using carbon dioxide happily laid, by the appropriation of an adequate instead of ether. sum to its immediate outfit. During the ensuing The experiment using ether was not published at summer a small but suitable apartment was adapted the time. It was carried out only 18 days before the to the purpose in a manner obligingly suggested by Shrewsbury Chronicle printed the advertisement for an the Professor of Natural History in the University, apprentice which was probably inserted by Hickman. who was, in other respects, pleased to express a Hickman, therefore, was unlikely to have been in favourable disposition towards the infant London when the experiment was performed, establishment." although this possibility cannot be excluded altogether. Had Hickman known about it, however, he might at The first meeting of the Museum Committee of the least have tried using ether in his own experiments. Royal Medical Society was in April 1819, 7 months There is no evidence that he did. before Hickman matriculated. The Minutes record: There were indeed two similar experiments using carbon dioxide (Brodie MSS, St George's Hospital "The Committee met. Mr W. Stewart proposed Medical School). They were carried out on January that our collection should be divided into three 23, 1821, and they were referred to in a lecture "On departments, viz. those of zoonomy, botany and Death from noxious gases or confined air". This was mineralogy, including under the first head all the third of a series of lectures given by Brodie at the relative to the structure and function of animals, Royal College of Surgeons in 1821 (Brodie MSS,
Downloaded from http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/ at Karolinska Institutet on July 30, 2015
run for an advertisement for an apprentice and it probably indicates a poor response and that Hickman, or his agent, was in the neighbourhood throughout March 1821. It is just possible that the following advertisement of November 23, 1821, might also have been inserted by Hickman. It does not mention a museum (readers of the previous advertisement might have wondered about the relevance of conchology, entymology, etc. and said so), but it does mention comparative anatomy. "Medical Apprentice. Wanted a youth of about 15 or 16 as an APPRENTICE to a Medical Gentleman practicing Medicine and Surgery, on an extensive scale. He will have every part of his profession (and its connection with comparative anatomy) carefully pointed out, and his reading, morals and domestic comfort will be particularly attended to. For further particulars apply to the printer of this paper."
625
626 R.C.S.,) but the precise date is not known. The original record of the experiments is quoted below.
Expt. 2. At 35 m after 12 a smaller guinea pig was placed under the bell glass, & a stream of carbonic acid was admitted into it as before. He soon showed signs of uneasiness, & at 37 m after 12 lay on one side insensible, motionless, but making repeated attempts to breathe. At 38 m the stream of carbonic acid was stopped (the reservoir bag being empty). The animal lay in the same state but the attempts to respire became less frequent. At 40 minutes after 12 he was still gasping for breath but was insensible & otherwise motionless. He was now taken from under the bell glass & immediately began to make full inspirations, & more frequently than before. At 41 m he showed marks of returning sensibility, and he presently recovered & ran about as if nothing unusual had occurred."
There is an affinity between the second experiment and the experiments carried out by Hickman some time before 1824, for example: Experiment 1st March 20th. I took a puppy a month old and placed it on a piece of wood surrounded by water over which I put a glass cover so as to prevent access of atmospheric air; in ten minutes he showed great marks of uneasiness, in 12 respiration became difficult, and in 17 minutes ceased altogether, at 18 minutes I took off one of the Ears, which was not followed by hemorrhage, respiration soon returned and the animal did not appear to be the least sensible of pain; in three days the ear was completely healed. 2nd Four days after the same puppy was exposed to a decomposition of the carbonate of lime by sulphuric acid. In one minute respiration ceased. I cut off the other Ear which was followed by very trifling hemorrhage, and, as before, did not appear to suffer any pain, in four days the wound healed.... (Wellcome, 1930.) Hickman might have attended Brodie's lecture on "Death from noxious gases or confined air", but the timing is too tight for conviction. Alternatively, he might have been told about these experiments later, or sent transcripts of the lecture by an acquaintance. In this connection it may be noted that Mr Cutler and Mr Good were present at Brodie's experiments. Mr Cutler was admitted M.R.C.S. 2 months after Hickman with whom he might have been acquainted. There were also possible links with pupils at St George's Hospital. Around this time a James Cole from Bewdley (15 miles from Worcester and 11 miles from Stourbridge) was a pupil of Mr Gunning, and James Nash of Worcester was a pupil of Sir Everard Home. A likely individual was Christopher Foxton.* He was registered as pupil to Mr Brodie for 12 months w.e.f. October 4, 1822. He was the son of John Foxton, surgeon, of Broad Street, Ludlow—another practitioner who lived in Broad Street, Ludlow, was Hickman's friend Dr Thorp (Smith, 1970b). On January 5, 1818, John Foxton and Kenrick Watson, * Christopher Foxton was granted his Licentiateship of the Society of Apothecaries on September 2, 1824. He had been apprenticed to Griffith Francis Dorset Evans of Shrewsbury for 5 years and had spent 1 year as physician pupil in the Salop Dispensary (Guildhall Library, MS 8241).
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"Experiments Jany 23 1821 Present Mr Cutler Mr Good 1. A Guinea pig was placed under the same bell glass & on the same wooden stand as was used formerly in the expts on animal heat. A stream of carbonic acid from a large reservoir of this was made to pass thro' the bell glass by means of the pipe in the lower part, while a stop cock being opened at the upper part of the bell glass allowed air to escape above. This was begun at 22 minutes after twelve. At 24 minutes the animal showed signs of uneasiness. At 25 minutes he fell on one side apparently insensible, breathing at long intervals. He continued in this state until 30 minutes after twelve when the respirations appeared to have ceased. The animal was now taken out of the apparatus. He appeared quite dead, but the heart was felt thro' the ribs acting vigorously. At 31 minutes the lungs were sufficiently inflated by means of a pair of bellows with a tube inserted into the trachea. I cut into the chest and found the heart acting powerfully. The animal showed no signs of sensibility, but when the artificial respiration had been continued for about one minute the diaphragm began to act. The artificial respiration was discontinued; the diaphragm contracted several times, but as the chest was opened into these attempts to breathe were of course ineffectual. At 35 minutes the heart still acted tho' feebly, and there were tremulous contractions of the pectoral muscles, the major of which had been exposed, and these muscles contracted powerfully on being irritated with the point of a scalpel.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF ANAESTHESIA
HENRY HILL HICKMAN IN HIS TIME surgeons, certified Martha Mason, apprentice to John Hickman of Lady Halton (Hickman's father), as lame (Bromfield Parish Records in Salop County Record Office). Kenrick Watson was almost certainly a partner of Richard Jukes of Stourport. Charles Hastings, founder of the British Medical Association, was their apprentice (McMenemey, 1959). It is certainly credible that Hickman attended Brodie's concluding address of 1820, at the end of his course of lectures on comparative anatomy. This was devoted to John Hunter's museum. The following extract encourages the belief that he did.
Hickman could have witnessed both the birth of a museum at the Royal Medical Society and Brodie's active display of specimens from the established museum at the Royal College of Surgeons. In his concluding address Brodie also recommended study of these specimens between lectures. Hickman might have heard Brodie praise John Hunter, his museum and his philosophical researches. If he did, whether he took particular note of all this because he already had an interest in museums, or whether he acquired his own collection because of this experience, we may never know, but he would have had reason for mentioning it in his advertisement for an apprentice. Finally, it may be of interest just to note a slight affinity between (1) a passage in Brodie's Croonian Lecture on the Generation of Animal Heat, and passages in (2) Hickman's manuscript letter to T. A. Knight, and (3) his pamphlet: (1) "I have selected the above from a great number of similar experiments, which it would be needless to detail. It is sufficient to state that the general results are always the same." (Brodie, 1811.)
(2) "From a number of others I have selected the experiments now sent; each is correctly noted in as few words as possible, which I think will prove a vast object." (See Wellcome, 1930.) (3) " . . . and the experiments were often repeated, but as the results were all uniform, and as my chief object is to attract the attention of other medical men to the subject, I wish to do little more than state the general results." (Hickman, 1824.)
(To be continued. Acknowledgements and list of references will appear at the end of the next instalment, August issue.)
HISTOIRE DE L'ANESTHESIE PAR LE PROTOXYDE D'AZOTE ET L'OXYGENE IVD: HENRY HILL HICKMAN ET SON TEMPS RESUME
On vient de trouver de nouvelles preuves de la residence de Hickman a Ludlow: une annonce qu'il avait fait paraitre pour recruter un apprenti et un entrefilet dans le Shrewsbury Chronicle qui fait etat de son musee prive. Ce dernier et ses biens mobiliers ont et£ vendus aux encheres en 1824. On suppose qu'il pourrait avoir £te inspire par Benjamin Collins Brodie. EINE GESCHICHTE DER STICKOXYD- UND SAUERSTOFFNARKOSE IVD: HENRY HILL HICKMAN IN SEINER ZEIT ZUSAMMENFASSUNG
Weiteres Beweismaterial fiir den Aufenthalt Hickmans in Ludlow wird geboten: ein Inserat fiir einen Lehrling und eine Anmerkung im Blatt "Shrewsbury Chronicle" beziehen sich auf sein Privatmuseum. Dieses und seine Wohnungseinrichtung wurden im Jahre 1824 versteigert. Es wird erwogen, ob er durch Benjamin Collins Brodie inspiriert wurde. UNA HISTORIA DE LA ANESTESIA DE OXIDO NITROSO Y OXIGENO IVD: HENRY HILL HICKMAN EN SU TIEMPO SUMARIO
Se descubre una nueva evidencia de Hickman en Ludlow: un aviso en que se pide un aprendiz y una anotacidn en el Shrewsbury Chronicle en relacidn a su museo privado. Estos y sus enseres dom£sticos fueron rematados en 1824. Se considers la posibilidad de que pudo haber sido inspirado por Benjamin Collins Brodie.
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"Nor can I conclude the present course of lectures with a reference to the museum . . . without requesting your attention . . . while I endeavour to point out some of the advantages which those who are engaged in the scientific study of the surgical profession may expect to derive from the proper use of the treasures it contains. That distinguished anatomist and physiologist, who founded the collection, was endowed with such a combination of intellectual faculties as is rarely met with: but which, when it does occur, may be considered as fitting the individual . . . in a most remarkable manner, for philosophical researches . . ." (Brodie, 1820-21).
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