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Rouse, James Anatomy
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Post Mortem Examinations and Case Books

  • 406 PM
  • Collection
  • 1840-1946

The post mortem records contain manuscript case notes, with medical notes both pre and post mortem. These include details on patients’ admission to the hospital, treatments and medication administered to patients and the medical history of patients; the medical histories were copied into the volumes from hospital registers, which are no longer extant. The post mortem cases include detailed pathological findings made during the detailed examination of the body after death. From the 1880s onwards the case books contain original anatomical drawings and photographs.

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The following information is recorded for each case. The information is transcribed from the case notes and/or the relevant index and, where relevant, additionally standardised using MeSH (Medical Subject Headings)

• Name of the patient. If a name is not entered in the volume, it is noted in the catalogue as ‘[No name stated]’

• Gender of the patient (female / male / unknown)

• Age of the patient. Usually in numbers, following the original, with the following exceptions: 4/12 = 4 months, 4/52 = 4 weeks, 4/365 = 4 days. If no age is entered, it is noted in the catalogue as ‘[No age stated]’

• Occupation of the patient. Where no occupation is entered, it is noted in the catalogue as ‘[No occupation stated]’. Children are often designated according to their father’s or mother’s occupation and women by their husband’s occupation (e.g. ‘F / Horsekeeper’, ‘M. Charwoman’, ‘Hd Grocer’); these have been rendered in the catalogue as ‘[Child of] Horsekeeper’, ‘[Wife of] Grocer’

• Date of admission and date of death

• The names of the doctors treating or examining the patient. ‘Admitted under the care of’ denotes the senior doctor in charge of the case (usually entered at the top of the page and in the index); ‘Post mortem performed by’ denotes the doctor responsible for the post mortem examination (usually signed at the bottom of the page) and ‘Medical examination performed by’ denotes the doctor responsible for the medical examination prior to death (usually signed at the bottom of the page). The earliest records usually contain only one name, and some of the later ones may contain multiple names in each category. An authority record (name access point) with basic biographical details has been created for each doctor mentioned in the records; these can be used to explore all the cases related to a particular individual

• Disease(s) or cause of death of the patient. Transcribed from the medical case and/or the index and standardised, e.g. ‘Disease (transcribed): Phthisis. Fractured base. Disease (standardised): Tuberculosis (lungs). Fracture (skull)’

• Medical and post mortem notes. Brief summary description or transcription of the case notes relating to previous medical history (not a full transcription of the case notes)

• Note on whether the case includes illustrations or photographs; these can also be browsed via genre access points

• Note on whether the death was caused by trauma, accident or suicide

• Subject access points, using standardised terms from MeSH, with disease type (e.g. respiratory tract diseases, cardiovascular diseases) and anatomy type (e.g. cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system), which can be used for browsing all relevant cases

Note on transcriptions and abbreviations

Names have been silently expanded, e.g. Jas = James, Wm = William

Some common abbreviations and acronyms

AMCH = Atkinson Morley Convalescent Hospital, Wimbledon
BID = Brought in dead
COA = Condition on admission
F = Father
H or Hd = Husband
HP = House physician
HS = House surgeon
IP = In-patient
L = Left
M = Mother
MR or Med reg or Med r = Medical register or Medical registrar
MS = Museum specimen
OP = Out-patient
OPD = Out-patient department
OR = Obstetric register
PMH = Previous medical history
PH = Previous history
Pt or Pat = Patient
PM = Post mortem
R = Right
RF = Rheumatic fever
Ry = Railway
SR or Surg reg = Surgical register or Surgical registrar
TB = Tuberculosis
VD = Venereal disease

St George's Hospital, London

James Gibson, 42, Smith

Occupation or role: Smith
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 4 Jun 1879
Date of death: 22 Jun 1880
Disease (transcribed): Cancer of rectum
Disease (standardised): Cancer (Intestines)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: n/a
Medical notes: n/a
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Not examined
Type of incident: n/a

David Sharp, 69, Coachman

Occupation or role: Coachman
Age: 69
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 27 Sep 1879
Date of death: 24 Mar 1880
Disease (transcribed): Erysipelas. Gangrene
Disease (standardised): Erysipelas (Skin); Gangrene (Indeterminate)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: n/a
Medical notes: n/a
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Not examined
Type of incident: n/a

Thomas Shaw, 29, Labourer

Occupation or role: Labourer
Age: 29
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 19 Dec 1879
Date of death: 27 Feb 1880
Disease (transcribed): Abscess of brain. Inflammation of mastoid cells. Cirrhosis. Bronchopneumonia
Disease (standardised): Abscess (Brain); Inflammation (Skull); Cirrhosis (Liver); Bronchopneumonia (Lung)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: Dent, Clinton Thomas
Post mortem examination performed by: Owen, Herbert Isambard
Medical notes: Three years before admission a scaly eruption appeared all over the body. Under treatment it disappeared, but was followed by loss of hair, headache and pains in the limbs. Two years later he had ulcerated legs and severe sore throat.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Mastoid region, dura mater, brain, pleurae, lungs, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, urinary apparatus
Illustrations: Yes
Type of incident: n/a

Anne Trapwell, 60, Widow

Occupation or role: Widow
Age: 60
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 17 Jan 1880
Date of death: 30 Mar 1880
Disease (transcribed): Carcinoma; scirrhous of uterus and pancreas. Encephaloid of subcutaneous and subserous glands, and of the brain. Melanotic of the brain
Disease (standardised): Cancer (Uterus); Cancer (Pancreas); Cancer (Lymph nodes); Cancer (Brain); Melanoma (Brain)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: Dent, Clinton Thomas
Post mortem examination performed by: Owen, Herbert Isambard
Medical notes: This patient was admitted originally in June 1879 for a small mushroom shaped growth on the back.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Tumours and morbid growths, lungs, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, generative organs and brain
Illustrations: Yes
Type of incident: n/a

Thomas Atkinson, 36, Painter

Occupation or role: Painter
Age: 36
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 16 Mar 1880
Date of death: 16 Mar 1880
Disease (transcribed): Stricture – hypertrophied bladder. Surgical kidney. Disease of heart valves. Hypertrophied heart. ‘Pulmonary apoplexy’
Disease (standardised): Constriction (Ureter); Disease (Bladder); Surgical (Kidney); Disease (Heart); Haemorrhage (Lung)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: Dent, Clinton Thomas
Post mortem examination performed by: Owen, Herbert Isambard
Medical notes: It appears that he had suffered from a non-traumatic stricture for four years and had been under medical treatment for some time.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Urethra, bladder, kidneys, heart, aorta, lungs, liver, spleen, pancreas and brain
Illustrations: Yes
Type of incident: n/a

Frances Tanner, 70, Widow

Occupation or role: Widow
Age: 70
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 9 Jun 1880
Date of death: 11 Jun 1880
Disease (transcribed): Cerebral haemorrhage. Granular kidneys. Colles’ fracture
Disease (standardised): Haemorrhage (Brain); Disease (Kidney); Fracture (Arm)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: Dent, Clinton Thomas
Post mortem examination performed by: Owen, Herbert Isambard
Medical notes: On the day of admission she fell down a slight of some twelve stairs, striking the left side of her head against the edge of one of the steps.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Left forearm, cranium, brain, lungs, heart, liver, spleen and kidneys
Illustrations: Yes
Type of incident: Trauma/accident

Emma Castledine, 53, Laundress

Occupation or role: Laundress
Age: 53
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 1 Feb 1881
Date of death: 8 Feb 1881
Disease (transcribed): Scirrhus of the colon. Obstruction (colotomy). Carcinoma of the liver and peritoneum
Disease (standardised): Scirrhus (Colon); Colotomy (Colon); Carcinoma (Liver, peritoneum)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: Owen, Herbert Isambard
Post mortem examination performed by: Turner, George Robertson
Medical notes: 'No history of family disease. She had always enjoyed good health and had had little if any trouble with the bowels until a month before her admission. Since Jan 2nd she had passed no motion'
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Lungs, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, intestines, peritoneum
Illustrations: Yes (see PM/1881/34)
Type of incident: n/a

William Lewis, 20, Groom

Occupation or role: Groom
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 27 Jul 1881
Date of death: 27 Jul 1881
Disease (transcribed): Fractured base of skull
Disease (standardised): Fracture (Skull)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: Owen, Herbert Isambard
Post mortem examination performed by: n/a
Medical notes: 'Not reported here'
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Skull
Illustrations: Yes
Type of incident: Trauma / accident

Robert Steptoe, 29, Groom

Occupation or role: Groom
Age: 29
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 15 Oct 1881
Date of death: 16 Oct 1881
Disease (transcribed): Fracture of skull. Laceration of brain
Disease (standardised): Fracture (Skull); Laceration (Brain)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: Zimmermann, Benjamin Frazier
Post mortem examination performed by: Turner, George Robertson
Medical notes: 'This man was thrown from his horse, picked up insensible and brought to St George's'
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Cranium
Illustrations: Yes
Type of incident: Trauma / accident

Benjamin Flood, 44, Labourer

Occupation or role: Labourer
Age: 44
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 21 Jun 1882
Date of death: 23 Jun 1882
Disease (transcribed): Fracture of base of skull. Laceration of left-frontal lobe of brain
Disease (standardised): Fracture (Skull); Laceration (Brain)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: Turner, George Robertson
Post mortem examination performed by: Ross, Daniel McClure
Medical notes: This man was stated to have fallen some sixteen feet from some scaffolding on to his head.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Pleurae, heart, aorta, liver, spleen, kidneys, brain and skull
Illustrations: Yes
Type of incident: Trauma/accident

Frederick Wilkinson, 55, Bricklayer

Occupation or role: Bricklayer
Age: 55
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 22 Jun 1882
Date of death: 23 Jun 1882
Disease (transcribed): Comminuted fracture of pelvis. Laceration of urethra
Disease (standardised): Fracture (Pelvis); Laceration (Urethra)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: Turner, George Robertson
Post mortem examination performed by: Ross, Daniel McClure
Medical notes: As he was helping to remove a large boiler, it slipped and he was crushed between it and a pile of stones.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Pleurae, heart, aorta, liver, spleen, abdomen and pelvic bones
Illustrations: Yes
Type of incident: Trauma/accident

John Clarke, 74, House agent

Occupation or role: House agent
Age: 74
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 18 Aug 1882
Date of death: 13 Sep 1882
Disease (transcribed): Fracture of parietal bone. Effusion of serum under arachnoid
Disease (standardised): Fracture (Skull); Effusion (Brain)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: Margerison, Richard
Post mortem examination performed by: Ross, Daniel McClure
Medical notes: He was stated to be subject to giddiness and constipation. He fell while at work on some steps and cut his head.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Pleurae, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, head and brain
Illustrations: Yes
Type of incident: Trauma/accident

William Moseley, 72, Sweep

Occupation or role: Sweep
Age: 72
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 21 Aug 1882
Date of death: 27 Aug 1882
Disease (transcribed): Comminuted fracture of femur at neck and great trochanter. Bronchitis
Disease (standardised): Fracture (Leg); Bronchitis (Lung)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: Margerison, Richard
Post mortem examination performed by: Ross, Daniel McClure
Medical notes: Two days before admission he fell from the pavement onto the road, alighting on his right hip.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Pleurae, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys and thigh
Illustrations: Yes
Type of incident: Trauma/accident

Benjamin Parfitt, 48, Butler

Occupation or role: Butler
Age: 48
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 7 Dec 1882
Date of death: 16 Dec 1882
Disease (transcribed): Haematoma of leg
Disease (standardised): Haematoma (Leg)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James. Dent, Clinton Thomas
Medical examination performed by: Margerison, Richard
Post mortem examination performed by: Cahill, John
Medical notes: Eight months previous to admission the patient had consulted Mr Rouse having inflamed veins in the upper part of the calf of the leg.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Pleurae, lungs, heart, liver, spleen and kidneys
Illustrations: Yes
Type of incident: n/a

James Bailey, 38, Silver polisher

Occupation or role: Silver polisher
Age: 38
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 6 Mar 1883
Date of death: 20 Mar 1883
Disease (transcribed): Fracture of the skull. Laceration of brain
Disease (standardised): Fracture (Skull); Laceration (Brain )
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: Margerison, Richard
Post mortem examination performed by: Ross, Daniel McClure
Medical notes: He fell a distance of fifteen feet through a trap door.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Lungs, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys and skull
Illustrations: Yes
Type of incident: Trauma/accident

Michael Divine, 58, Shoemaker

Occupation or role: Shoemaker
Age: 58
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 21 May 1885
Date of death: 27 Feb 1886
Disease (transcribed): Malignant disease of tongue and glands of neck. Asthenia
Disease (standardised): Cancer (Tongue); Cancer (Lymph nodes); Asthenia (Systemic)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: n/a
Medical notes: Not examined after death
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Not examined
Type of incident: n/a

John Terry, 22, Packer

Occupation or role: Packer
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 9 Oct 1885
Date of death: 5 Dec 1885
Disease (transcribed): Haemophilia. Bleeding after extraction of tooth
Disease (standardised): Haemophilia (Blood); Extraction (Tooth)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: n/a
Medical notes: Not reported here
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Not examined
Type of incident: n/a

Thomas Cooper, [No age stated], Soldier

Occupation or role: Soldier
Age: [No age stated]
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 2 Dec 1885
Date of death: 3 Dec 1885
Disease (transcribed): Fracture of the skull. Laceration of the brain
Disease (standardised): Fracture (Skull); Laceration (Brain)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: Sisley, Richard
Medical notes: Not seen by the Registrar. Died immediately after admission
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Pleurae, lungs, larynx, pericardium, heart, aorta, liver, spleen, kidneys, bladder, stomach, pancreas, brain and bones
Type of incident: Trauma/accident

Ada Elston, 1 year 3 months, [Child of] Stoker

Occupation or role: [Child of] Stoker
Age: 1 year 3 months
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 30 Jan 1886
Date of death: 2 Feb 1886
Disease (transcribed): Deep cellulitis of neck
Disease (standardised): Cellulitis (Skin)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: n/a
Medical notes: Not reported here
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Not examined
Type of incident: n/a

Arthur Hampton, 43, Policeman

Occupation or role: Policeman
Age: 43
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 1 Feb 1886
Date of death: 22 Mar 1886
Disease (transcribed): Caseation of the lower lobe of the right lung. Pneumonia of the lower lobe of the left. Enlarged spleen containing gummata. Syphilis. Gumma of spleen
Disease (standardised): Caseation (Lung); Pneumonia (Lung); Enlarged (Spleen); Granuloma (Spleen); Syphilis (Systemic)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: Allingham, Herbert William. Bull, William Charles
Post mortem examination performed by: Sisley, Richard. Delepine, Sheridan
Medical notes: In 1861 he had a chancre followed by bubo in the left groin which was opened. In the year 1871 he had an attack of paralysis of the left arm and leg.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Pleurae, lungs, larynx, pericardium, heart, aorta, peritoneum, liver, spleen, kidneys, bladder, brain, bones, lungs and spleen
Type of incident: n/a

Luther Baker, 27, Commissionaire

Occupation or role: Commissionaire
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 13 Sep 1887
Date of death: 22 Feb 1888
Disease (transcribed): Sarcoma occupying the whole of the left half of the chest and bulging over two inches beyond the median line
Disease (standardised): Sarcoma (Chest)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: Penrose, Francis George
Post mortem examination performed by: Bull, William C.
Medical notes: 'An old soldier: no history of heritable disease. In 1882 he had a chancre which was followed by constitutional syphilis for which he was treated in Army with mercury. In 1884 he got a wound in the palm of the right hand: this healed at once […] In August 1885, the right forearm was amputated in Belfast Military Hospital’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Body parts examined: Abdomen, heart, lungs, pericardium, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, testicles
Illustrations or photographs: Yes (see PM/1888/68)
Type of incident: n/a

William Egleton, 62, Labourer

Occupation or role: Labourer
Age: 62
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 31 Dec 1887
Date of death: 13 Feb 1888
Disease (transcribed): Bronchitis
Disease (standardised): Bronchitis (Lungs)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: n/a
Medical notes: n/a
Body parts examined in the post mortem: 'Not examined’
Illustrations or photographs: Yes (relating to case PM/1888/76)
Type of incident: n/a

Mary Flanagan, 56, [Wife of] Foreman

Occupation or role: [Wife of] Foreman
Age: 56
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 15 Jun 1888
Date of death: 26 Jul 1888
Disease (transcribed): Gall stone impacted in common bile duct. Biliary obstruction and hepatic abscesses
Disease (standardised): Gallstone (Gallbladder); Abscess (Liver)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: Penrose, Francis George
Post mortem examination performed by: Le Cronier, Maxwell
Medical notes: 'Had never left Britain. In early life lived amongst the Cambrian Mountains. No history of ague. For 11[?] years had had attacks, the symptoms of which point to the passage of gall stones, altogether she had 4 or 5 such attacks’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Body parts examined: Abdomen, liver, lungs, heart, spleen, kidneys, stomach, bladder
Illustrations or photographs: Yes
Type of incident: n/a

Albert Brown, 5, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 5
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 14 Mar 1890
Date of death: 2 Mar 1890
Disease (transcribed): Potts disease
Disease (standardised): Tuberculosis, spinal (Spine)
Admitted under the care of: Rouse, James
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: n/a
Medical notes: See Surgical notes
Body parts examined in the post mortem: No post mortem examination
Illustrations: Yes
Type of incident: n/a

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