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Bence Jones, Henry
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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

Margaret Wilkins, [No age stated], [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: [No age stated]
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 17 May 1848
Date of death: 18 May 1848
Disease (transcribed): Large ovarian cyst with numerous growths from its lining membrane.
Disease (standardised): Cysts (Ovary)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Barclay, Andrew Whyte
Post mortem examination performed by: Pollock, George
Medical notes: This patient was brought to the Hospital with the abdomen excessively distended with fluid, and the respiration impeded.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax and abdomen
Type of incident: n/a

James Caunt, 25, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 16 Apr 1851
Date of death: 6 May 1851
Disease (transcribed): Disease of the kidneys which were greatly enlarged, mottled, smooth & having their cortical part infiltrated by a light yellow deposit. Enlarged heart with ‘granulations’ on the margins of the aortic valves. One of the flaps of this valve was greatly enlarged & broader than the others. Peritonitis. Pleural effusions
Disease (standardised): Disease (Kidneys, heart, lungs); Peritonitis (Abdomen); Effusion (Lungs)

Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Barclay, Andrew Whyte
Post mortem examination performed by: Ogle, John William
Medical notes: 'This man gave no very distinct account of the commencement of his symptoms. He had been ailing 10 months, had felt weak, & perspired very much, and had now been obliged to keep his bed for 2 months. Had had shortness of breath but no beating of the heart’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Abdomen, thorax

Type of incident: n/a

James Sparrow, 22, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 17 Mar 1852
Date of death: 21 Apr 1852
Disease (transcribed): Tubercular peritonitis. Tubercles of lungs?
Disease (standardised): Tuberculosis (Abdomen); Peritonitis (Abdomen); Tuberculosis (Lung)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Barclay, Andrew Whyte
Post mortem examination performed by: n/a
Medical notes: As the body was not examined this case is not given
Body parts examined in the post mortem: The body was removed unexamined
Type of incident: n/a

Fanny Hill, 59, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 59
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 14 Mar 1855
Date of death: 28 Mar 1855
Disease (transcribed): Pneumonia. Both Lungs
Disease (standardised): Pneumonia (Lung)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Rogers, George Goddard
Post mortem examination performed by: Gray, Henry
Medical notes: A month before admission she went to attend a neighbour in confinement and caught cold by remaining up all night. A fortnight before admission the cold became even more severe, a cough with slight expectoration came on, and then her appetite began to fail. She had shivering and pain in the loins.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax and abdomen
Type of incident: n/a

Jane Green, 45, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 45
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 16 Apr 1851
Date of death: 6 May 1851
Disease (transcribed): Scirrhous ulceration of the stomach, communicating with the interior of the transverse colon. Atrophy of the heart. Congestion & oedema of the lungs. Effusion of clear fluid into both pleural cavities
Disease (standardised): Ulcer (Stomach, colon); Atrophy (Heart); Congestion (Lungs); Edema (Lungs); Effusion (Lungs)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Barclay, Andrew Whyte
Post mortem examination performed by: Ogle, John William
Medical notes: 'This patient dated the commencement of the illness only from the previous October, when she had been attacked by vomiting and pain in the abdomen. The bowels had continued pretty regular. She was married [and] had had 3 children, and the catamenia [menstruation] had continued regular up to Xmas last’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Abdomen, thorax

Type of incident: n/a

John Morrison, 30, Former soldier

Occupation or role: Former soldier
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 30 Dec 1857
Date of death: 14 Apr 1858
Disease (transcribed): Phthisis. Dysentery
Disease (standardised): Tuberculosis (Lungs); Dysentery (Intestines)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Holmes, Timothy
Post mortem examination performed by: Rogers, George Goddard
Medical notes: 'A pallid & somewhat emaciated individual, who had been ill eight months with diarrhoea & had at times passed a little blood in the motions. He had formerly served in the Army, & this illness led to his discharge’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax, larynx, abdomen

Type of incident: n/a

Maria Gayford, 16, Servant

Occupation or role: Servant
Age: 16
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 23 Mar 1855
Date of death: 25 Mar 1855
Disease (transcribed): Laryngitis. Operation. Pneumonia. Sudden death
Disease (standardised): Laryngitis (Larynx); Pneumonia (Lung)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Rogers, George Goddard
Post mortem examination performed by: Ogle, John William
Medical notes: She had been much exposed to cold in her situation as a servant, and for three days had had a slight cough and hoarseness.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Neck, trachea, larynx, thorax and abdomen
Type of incident: n/a

Charles Seals, 35, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 13 Apr 1853
Date of death: 29 Apr 1853
Disease (transcribed): Abscess of liver
Disease (standardised): Abscess (Liver)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: n/a
Medical notes: n/a
Body parts examined in the post mortem: This body was not examined
Type of incident: n/a

Catherine Speed, 31, Servant

Occupation or role: Servant
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 9 Apr 1856
Date of death: 1 May 1856
Disease (transcribed): Phthisis. Scrofulous deposit in the Brain
Disease (standardised): Tuberculosis (Lung); Tuberculosis (Brain)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Rogers, George Goddard
Post mortem examination performed by: Ogle, John William
Medical notes: This woman said that she had suffered from great pain and sensation of weight in the chest and shoulders and pain at the back of the head, which she attributed to indigestion.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax, cranium and abdomen
Type of incident: n/a

Elizabeth Bissell, 17, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 24 Apr 1848
Date of death: 1 May 1848
Disease (transcribed): Fever. Extensive ulceration of bowels. Slight congestion of lungs. Calcareous substances in choroid plexus.
Disease (standardised): Fever (Systemic); Ulcer (Intestines); Congestion (Lung); Calcareous substances (Brain)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Fuller, Henry William
Post mortem examination performed by: Pollock, George
Medical notes: This patient was admitted with fever of about three weeks duration. She had been seized in the first instance with rigors, headache and sickness, rapidly followed by complete muscular prostration.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax, abdomen and cranium
Type of incident: n/a

Charlotte Coram, 19, Servant

Occupation or role: Servant
Age: 19
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 23 Mar 1859
Date of death: 26 Apr 1859
Disease (transcribed): Dysentery
Disease (standardised): Dysentery (Intestines)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Dickinson, William Howship
Post mortem examination performed by: Holmes, Thomas
Medical notes: About Christmas she began to have looseness of the bowels, with pain, passing blood and slime.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax and abdomen
Type of incident: n/a

Sarah Holstone, 51, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 51
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 17 Apr 1850
Date of death: 1 Jun 1850
Disease (transcribed): Dilatation with hypertrophy of heart. Thickening of aortic and mitral valves. Diseased and cysted kidneys. General dropsy
Disease (standardised): Disease (Heart); Disease (Kidney); Oedema (General)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Barclay, Andrew Whyte
Post mortem examination performed by: Holl, Harvey Buchanan
Medical notes: This person dated the commencement of their illness from Christmas last when she caught cold, and she had been out of health ever since.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax and abdomen
Type of incident: n/a

Edward Wall, 10, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 10
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 22 Apr 1859
Date of death: 25 Apr 1859
Disease (transcribed): Scarlatina
Disease (standardised): Scarlet fever (Systemic)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Dickinson, William Howship
Post mortem examination performed by: Holmes, Thomas
Medical notes: This boy was attacked with scarlatina, which was manifested by shivering, sore throat and redness of the skin.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Throat, thorax and abdomen
Type of incident: n/a

Mary Anne Sales, 26, Housemaid

Occupation or role: Housemaid
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 19 Feb 1851
Date of death: 4 May 1851
Disease (transcribed): Carcinomatous alterations of the uterus. No other part being affected thereby. Disease of the kidneys which were greatly enlarged, smooth & lobulated, their cortical portions being occupied by a light yellow-coloured deposit. Recent peritonitis & dilatation of bladder & ureter
Disease (standardised): Carcinoma (Uterus); Disease (Kidneys); Peritonitis (Abdomen); Disease (Bladder, ureter)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Barclay, Andrew Whyte
Post mortem examination performed by: Ogle, John William
Medical notes: 'This young woman, a housemaid, & having lived in a very hard place, was admitted with vaginal discharge, & pain in the region of the uterus, which had led to the suspicion of commencing cancer. She stated that the catamenia [menstruation] had first appeared when she was only 12 years of age, and had been irregular & excessive since she had reached the age of 17. For a very long period she had scarcely been free from a slightly red-coloured discharge, but she had a severe flooding at times’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Abdomen, thorax

Type of incident: n/a

Susan Cripps, 17, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 22 Apr 1859
Date of death: 24 Apr 1859
Disease (transcribed): Diphtheria
Disease (standardised): Diphtheria (Pharynx)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Dickinson, William Howship
Post mortem examination performed by: Holmes, Thomas
Medical notes: This patient was a native of Foulness, a low flat island on the coast of Essex at the mouth of the Thames. Diphtheria had been extremely prevalent at this place.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Throat, thorax and abdomen
Type of incident: n/a

William Daniels, [Occupation not stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Gender: Male
Age: 40
Date of admission: 15 Mar 1854
Date of death: 2 Apr 1854
Disease (transcribed): Abscesses in the liver. Ulcerated colon. Diseased kidneys
Disease (standardised): Abscess (Liver); Ulcer (Colon); Disease (Kidney)
Admitting doctor: Bence Jones, Henry
Surgeon: Ogle, John William
Physician: Barclay, Andrew Whyte
Medical notes: 'This man stated that he had been taken ill rather suddenly on the 5th Nov with pain in the abdomen, which had gradually extended up towards the chest and was now chiefly situated about the lower end of the scrotum’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax, abdomen

Type of injury: n/a

Ebenezer Devonport, 39, Watchmaker

Occupation or role: Watchmaker
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 19 Mar 1855
Date of death: 23 Mar 1855
Disease (transcribed): Idiopathic Tetanus
Disease (standardised): Tetanus (Systemic)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Rogers, George Goddard
Post mortem examination performed by: Gray, Henry
Medical notes: When working he said that he often ran small pieces of glass into his fingers, but had not done so lately. On the evening of the 15th he was out very late in the rain, and the next morning he felt drowsy and noticed an aching pain in his lower jaw.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Spine, cranium, thorax and abdomen
Type of incident: Trauma/accident?

Joseph Fennell, 65, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 65
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 20 Mar 1861
Date of death: 3 Apr 1861
Disease (transcribed): Pleuropneumonia
Disease (standardised): Pleuropneumonia (Lung)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Dickinson, William Howship
Post mortem examination performed by: Holmes, Timothy
Medical notes: This patient had for three months before admission, suffered much from pain in the loins. His chief complaint was of pain in the lumber region extending down the left leg.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax, abdomen and left hip
Type of incident: n/a

Grace Mulford, 50, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 50
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 14 Apr 1852
Date of death: 16 Apr 1852
Disease (transcribed): Scrofulous deposits in the lungs and bronchitis. Slight hypertrophy of heart and rigidity of the mitral valve flaps
Disease (standardised): Tuberculosis (Lung); Bronchitis (Lung); Disease (Heart)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Barclay, Andrew Whyte
Post mortem examination performed by: Ogle, John William
Medical notes: When admitted this patient presented a very dusky complexion and she had constant cough, great oppression of breathing and some slight oedema of the ankles.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax and abdomen
Type of incident: n/a

Ann Jones, 38, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 23 Feb 1848
Date of death: 28 Apr 1848
Disease (transcribed): Ovarian dropsy.
Disease (standardised): Oedema (Ovary)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Fuller, Henry William
Post mortem examination performed by: Pollock, George
Medical notes: As the body of this patient was not examined after death, the particulars of her case are not recorded.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: The body was not examined at the request of friends
Type of incident: n/a

Hannah Musselwhite, 58, [Occupation not stated]

Occupation or role: [Occupation not stated]
Age: 58
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 18 Apr 1849
Date of death: 29 Apr 1849
Disease (transcribed): Hypertrophied & dilated heart, diseased mitral & aortic valves. Anasarca. Pulmonary apoplexy. Congested liver & kidneys. Fibrous tumours of the uterus
Disease (standardised): Disease (Heart); Edema (Systemic); Stroke (Lungs); Congestion (Liver, kidneys); Tumour (Uterus)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Barclay, Andrew Whyte
Post mortem examination performed by: Gray, Henry
Medical notes: 'This patient stated that she had been ill 3 months with cold & cough & expectoration of a large quantity of frothy mucus, that the cough was now somewhat relieved, but she suffered much from shortness of breath, being unable to lye down in bed’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax, abdomen

Type of incident: n/a

Elizabeth Richardson, 52, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 52
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 16 Mar 1853
Date of death: 24 Apr 1853
Disease (transcribed): Anasarca. Albuminous urine. Diseased kidney. Peculiar arterial distribution to the kidney. Fibrin in the peritoneal and pleural sacs. Hypertrophied heart
Disease (standardised): Oedema (Face); Oedema (Leg); Albuminuria (Kidney); Disease (Kidney); Fibrin (Abdomen); Fibrin (Pleura);Disease (Heart)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Barclay, Andrew Whyte
Post mortem examination performed by: Ogle, John William
Medical notes: A very pallid, deaf, elderly person who stated that her face first began to swell about five weeks before admission and subsequently her legs also became dropsical.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Abdomen and thorax
Type of incident: n/a

Susan Miller, 17, [Occupation not stated]

Occupation or role: [Occupation not stated]
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 18 Apr 1849
Date of death: 27 Apr 1849
Disease (transcribed): Morbus brightii. Anasarca. Abscess of the kidney. Atrophy of the uterus
Disease (standardised): Disease (Kidneys); Edema (Systemic); Abscess (Kidneys); Atrophy (Uterus)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Barclay, Andrew Whyte
Post mortem examination performed by: Gray, Henry
Medical notes: 'This girl, how had a scrofulous & cachectic appearance, and was stunted in growth, stated that she had been long ailing, that since Xmas 1847 she had suffered more or less constantly form diarrhoea, and during the last 10 months, she had also become dropsical. Her face was pale & puffy, and she said was occasionally very much swelled; the legs & feet were very much swelled, and the abdomen was distended, chiefly with flatus, but giving also distinct fluctuation’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax, abdomen

Type of incident: n/a

Bridget Brennan, 76, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 76
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 24 Dec 1851
Date of death: 5 Jan 1852
Disease (transcribed): Diseased kidneys. Old double pleurisy. Cartilaginiform thickening of the capsule of the spleen. Bronchitis. Fracture of the neck of the thigh bone
Disease (standardised): Disease (Kidney); Pleurisy (Pleura); Thickening (Spleen); Bronchitis (Lung); Fracture (Leg)
Admitted under the care of: Bence Jones, Henry
Medical examination performed by: Barclay, Andrew Whyte
Post mortem examination performed by: Ogle, John William
Medical notes: She alleged that she had suffered from cough for several years but she had been much worse for the last year and a half.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Abdomen and thorax
Type of incident: n/a

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