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Keate, Robert 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

Jane Cox, 60, [Occupation not stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 60
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 7 Apr 1845
Date of death: 15 Apr 1845
Disease (transcribed): Scalp wound. Diffuse cellular inflammation of the scalp. Extravasations of blood, both in the cavity of the arachnoid, and in the structure of the brain. Fracture of external malleolus with suppuration in joint and in the neighbourhood
Disease (standardised): Wound (Scalp); Inflammation (Scalp); Extravasation (Brain); Fracture (Ankle); Suppuration (Ankle)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: Hewett, Prescott Gardner
Post mortem examination performed by: Lee, Henry
Medical notes: 'When admitted, this patient presented the usual symptoms of concussion and a lacerated scalp wound on the back part of the head. The symptoms of concussion were complicated by those of intoxication, as it was subsequently ascertained that she had drunk a considerable quantity before meeting with her accident’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Cranium, thorax, abdomen, left inferior extremity

Type of incident: Trauma / accident

George Austin, 3 years 6 months, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 3 years 6 months
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 18 Dec 1842
Date of death: 20 Dec 1842
Disease (transcribed): Burn
Disease (standardised): Burn (Skin)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: Pollock, George
Medical notes: n/a
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Face, anterior part of abdomen and chest
Type of incident: Trauma/accident?

John Wallis, 61, [Occupation not stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 61
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 9 Apr 1845
Date of death: 14 Apr 1845
Disease (transcribed): Stricture of the urethra. Chronic affection of the bladder, ureter etc. with mottling & granular degeneration of the kidneys. Large foul abscess in the left loin & extensing along the psoas, into the groin. Recent pleurisy & peritonitis
Disease (standardised): Constriction (Urethra); Disease (Bladder, ureter, kidneys); Abscess (Loin, groin); Pleurisy (Lungs); Peritonitis (Abdomen)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: Hewett, Prescott Gardner
Post mortem examination performed by: Lee, Henry
Medical notes: 'This person had attended the hospital occasionally for many years past, and had been in the habit of having catheters introduced as an out-patient. When he applied in the 9th of April he was suffering from the usual symptoms of retention of urine and stated that he had not passed any water for twenty four hours’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax, abdomen

Type of incident: n/a

John Pendergast, 3, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 3
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 31 Mar 1847
Date of death: 12 Apr 1847
Disease (transcribed): Pleuro pneumonia. Convulsions previous to death. Grey hepatisation of lungs.
Disease (standardised): Pleuropneumonia (Pleura, Lung); Seizures (Brain); Disease (Lung)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: Gee, Adolphus John
Post mortem examination performed by: Pollock, George
Medical notes: The mother of this child stated that on the 29th she had reason to believe it fell backwards from a chair.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax, abdomen and cranium
Type of incident: Trauma/accident?

Esther Harbour, 6, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 6
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 4 Feb 1846
Date of death: 20 Apr 1846
Disease (transcribed): Extensive burn. Effusion of fluid in sub arachnoid tissues and in ventricles. Three ulcers in duodenum. Mottling degeneration of the kidneys. Other organs healthy.
Disease (standardised): Burn (Skin); Effusion (Brain); Ulcer (Duodenum); Disease (Kidney)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: Gee, Adolphus John
Post mortem examination performed by: Hewett, Prescott Gardner
Medical notes: This girl was admitted in a state of collapse and suffering from a severe burn after her clothes caught fire
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Cranium, larynx, thorax and abdomen
Type of incident: Trauma/accident

Peter Parsons, 40, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 15 Mar 1843
Date of death: 15 May 1843
Disease (transcribed): Disease of spinal marrow. Chronic inflammation of Bladder and Kidney.
Disease (standardised): Disease (Spine); Inflammation (Bladder); Inflammation (Kidney)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: n/a
Medical notes: n/a
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Spine, brain, abdomen and thorax
Type of incident: n/a

Henry Jones, 23, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 8 Dec 1847
Date of death: 30 Apr 1848
Disease (transcribed): Pleuritis with enormous effusion of purulent fluid into the cavity of the pleura. Amputation of the leg.
Disease (standardised): Pleurisy (Pleura); Suppuration (Pleural cavity); Amputation (Leg)
Admitted under the care of: Wilson, James Arthur. Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: Pollock, George
Medical notes: n/a
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax and abdomen
Type of incident: n/a

Charlotte Baxter, 61, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 61
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 28 Apr 1851
Date of death: 1 May 1851
Disease (transcribed): Strangulated femoral hernia of right side. Operation
Disease (standardised): Hernia (Thigh); Operation (Thigh)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: n/a
Medical notes: 'The history is not given as the body was not examined’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: 'The friends objected to examination’

Type of incident: n/a

Simmons Valentine, 23, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 24 Apr 1851
Date of death: 25 Apr 1851
Disease (transcribed): Wounds of the face & scalp. Fracture of the skull with laceration of the dura mater & brain. Extravasation of blood in the arachnoid cavity & subarachnoid areolar tissue. Low pneumonia
Disease (standardised): Wound (Face, scalp); Fracture (Skull); Laceration (Brain); Extravasation (Brain); Pneumonia (Lungs)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: Blagden, Robert
Post mortem examination performed by: Ogle, John William
Medical notes: 'This young man was brought into the hospital while in a state of partial coma, having just before fallen from a ladder, a height of 14 feet, in the quadrant. He appeared to have fallen backwards & struck his head on the pavement. There was profuse haemorrhage from the wounds on the head’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Cranium, abdomen, thorax

Type of incident: Trauma / accident

Mary Simpson, 23, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 23
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 1 Apr 1846
Date of death: 13 Apr 1846
Disease (transcribed): Inflammation of the uterus and left fallopian tube after parturition. Peritonitis of a low character. Small lacerated wound in anterior part of vagina. Other viscera healthy. Veins healthy.
Disease (standardised): Inflammation (Uterus); Inflammation (Fallopian tubes); Peritonitis (Abdomen); Wound (Vagina)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: Gee, Adolphus John
Post mortem examination performed by: Hewett, Prescott Gardner
Medical notes: The patient was delivered about ten days before admission of a nine months child. The labour lasted sixteen hours during which time she was convulsed and insensible. She remembered nothing of the labour but its commencement.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Abdomen and thorax
Type of incident: n/a

Henry Gammon, 24, Shepherd

Occupation or role: Shepherd
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 3 Mar 1847
Date of death: 24 Apr 1848
Disease (transcribed): Disease of hip joint with dislocation of the femur. Inflammation of the femoral and iliac veins and vena cava.
Disease (standardised): Disease (Hip); Dislocation (Leg); Inflammation (Veins)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: Blagden, Robert
Post mortem examination performed by: Pollock, George
Medical notes: This patient on admission presented the symptoms of disease of the hip joint of long standing.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax and abdomen
Type of incident: n/a

John George Pratt, 25, [Occupation not stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 4 Apr 1845
Date of death: 4 Apr 1845
Disease (transcribed): Extensive laceration of the right lung with a large extravasation of blood into the cavity of the pleura. Separation of several cartilages of the ribs, right side, from the sternum. Rupture of the liver. Fracture of arm & leg
Disease (standardised): Laceration (Lungs); Extravasation (Lungs); Separation (Chest); Rupture (Liver); Fracture (Arm, leg)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: Hewett, Prescott Gardner
Post mortem examination performed by: Lee, Henry
Medical notes: 'This patient was perfectly sensible when admitted, but presented ex-sanguine features and scarcely any pulse. He died after having been in the hospital an hour, having never rallied in any degree from his state of collapse’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax, abdomen, left superior extremity, left inferior extremity

Type of incident: Trauma / accident

Mary Peters, 18, Needleworker

Occupation or role: Needleworker
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 26 May 1847
Date of death: 23 Apr 1848
Disease (transcribed): Caries of the whole of the sacrum with destruction of the lumbo sacral and sacro iliac joints.
Disease (standardised): Caries (Spine)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: Blagden, Robert
Post mortem examination performed by: Pollock, George
Medical notes: This patient was admitted with a lumbar abscess. She reported that two years ago, the swelling first appeared in the loins.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax and abdomen
Type of incident: n/a

Thomas Grieves, 41, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 03 Mar 1847
Date of death: 26 Mar 1847
Disease (transcribed): Pleuritis. Compressed lung from thickening of pleura. Specs of atheroma on aorta. Cirrhosis of liver with ascites.
Disease (standardised): Pleurisy (Pleura); Compressed (Lung); Plaque, Atherosclerotic (Arteries); Cirrhosis (Liver); Ascites (Abdomen)
Admitted under the care of: Wilson, James Arthur. Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: Gee, Adolphus John
Post mortem examination performed by: Pollock, George
Medical notes: This patient whose whole appearance was indicative of ill-health was admitted with an abscess over the sacrum, the result of an injury received some time previously.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax, abdomen and cranium
Type of incident: n/a

Lenord Burnham, 65, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 65
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 28 Apr 1850
Date of death: 11 May 1850
Disease (transcribed): Diffuse cellular inflammation of the hand and arm from a punctured wound of the throat. Secondary abscess
Disease (standardised): Inflammation (Arm); Wound (Pharynx); Abscess (Indeterminate)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: Rouse, James
Post mortem examination performed by: Holl, Harvey Buchanan
Medical notes: The body not being examined the case is not recorded.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: This body was not examined at the request of the friends
Type of incident: Trauma/accident

John Jordan , 25, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 14 February 1844
Date of death: 30 Apr 1844
Disease (transcribed): Psoas Abscess
Disease (standardised): Abscess (Psoas)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: Hewett, Prescott Gardner
Medical notes: n/a
Body parts examined in the post mortem: The body was not examined, at the request of her friends
Type of incident: n/a

Henry Humphry, 26, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 29 Sep 1847
Date of death: 16 Apr 1848
Disease (transcribed): Caries of 10th dorsal vertebra. Pneumonia. Pus in cavity of pleurae.
Disease (standardised): Caries (Spine); Pneumonia (Lung); Suppuration (Pleural cavity)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: Blagden, Robert
Post mortem examination performed by: Pollock, George
Medical notes: This patient was admitted with symptoms of incipient disease of the spine.
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Cranium, thorax, abdomen and spine.
Type of incident: n/a

James Keep, 47, Distillery worker

Occupation or role: Distillery worker
Age: 47
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 4 Apr 1849
Date of death: 20 Apr 1849
Disease (transcribed): Abscesses & cysts in both kidneys. Abscess of the prostate communicating with the urethra. Extravasation of blood beneath mucous membrane of the bladder. Serous apoplexy. Wet brain
Disease (standardised): Abscess (Kidneys); Cyst (Kidneys); Abscess (Prostate); Extravasation (Bladder); Apoplexy (Brain); Disease (Brain)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: Holl, Harvey Buchanan
Post mortem examination performed by: Gray, Henry
Medical notes: 'No distinct account could be elicited respecting the history of this patient’s complaint, but it appeared that for years he had at intervals experienced some difficulty in passing his urine for which the catheter had occasionally been employed. He had been a pretty free drinker, having been employed at a distillery, and in the beginning his complaint appears to have been occasional attacks of spasmodic stricture, but for the last four months there had been some permanent difficulty in micturition’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Cranium, thorax, abdomen

Type of incident: n/a

William Baker, 16, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 15 Feb 1843
Date of death: 23 Apr 1843
Disease (transcribed): Abscess in Elbow joint.
Disease (standardised): Abscess (Arm)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: n/a
Medical notes: n/a
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Body was not examined
Type of incident: n/a

George Kettley, 48, [Occupation not stated]

Occupation or role: [Occupation not stated]
Age: 48
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 3 Mar 1849
Date of death: 19 Apr 1849
Disease (transcribed): Pneumonia & abscess in both lungs. Old pericardial adhesions. Granular kidneys
Disease (standardised): Pneumonia (Lungs); Abscess (Lungs); Disease (Heart, kidneys)
Admitted under the care of: Wilson, James Arthur
Medical examination performed by: Barclay, Andrew Whyte and Keate, Robert
Post mortem examination performed by: Gray, Henry
Medical notes: 'This patient was originally admitted under the care of Mr Keate [Robert Keate] with fracture of 2 or 3 ribs on the right side from accident (probably the 3rd, 4th & 5th). He had some cough, and complained of pain on the right side for two or three days, in consequence of which it was thought necessary, after applying a few leeches, to take blood from the arm, by which his more urgent symptoms were greatly relieved’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax, abdomen

Type of incident: n/a

John Butlin, 33, [Occupation not stated]

Occupation or role: [Occupation not stated]
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 5 Apr 1849
Date of death: 18 Apr 1849
Disease (transcribed): Rupture of the urethra, canal behind dilated, stricture. Ulceration of mucous membrane of the bladder. Dilatation of the ureters & pelvices of both kidneys
Disease (standardised): Rupture (Urethra); Ulcer (Bladder); Disease (Ureters, kidneys)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: Holl, Harvey Buchanan and Johnson, Henry Charles
Post mortem examination performed by: Gray, Henry
Medical notes: 'This man, who had been an out-patient under the care of Mr Johnson [Henry Charles Johnson] since July last for a stricture of the urethra of several years’ duration, after having had a catheter passed on the 24th of March, relieved home & experienced a rather severe rigor. On the following day Mr Johnson was requested to see him & found him suffering from the premonitory symptoms of common fever, for which he was treated by a medical man at his own home’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax, pelvis

Type of incident: n/a

Sarah Boyce, 50, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 50
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 26 Feb 1851
Date of death: 13 Apr 1851
Disease (transcribed): Abscess of bursa patella. Pleurisy & pneumonia on left side. Bronchial tubes generally dilated. Hypertrophy of the heart
Disease (standardised): Abscess (Knee); Pleurisy (Lungs); Pneumonia (Lungs); Disease (Heart)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert and Wilson, James Arthur
Medical examination performed by: Blagden, Robert
Post mortem examination performed by: Ogle, John William
Medical notes: 'This patient, who was very thin & unhealthy in appearance, was admitted in the first instance under the care of Mr Keate [Robert Keate] with an abscess connected with the bursa patella. This was immediately opened & 3 or 4 ounces of pus evacuated. Erysipelas extended from the knee up as far as the bend of the thigh’
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax, abdomen

Type of incident: n/a

Ann Golding, 35, [No occupation stated]

Occupation or role: [No occupation stated]
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Date of admission: 13 Mar 1843
Date of death: 17 Apr 1843
Disease (transcribed): Burn.
Disease (standardised): Burn (Skin)
Admitted under the care of: Keate, Robert
Medical examination performed by: n/a
Post mortem examination performed by: n/a
Medical notes: n/a
Body parts examined in the post mortem: Thorax and abdomen
Type of incident: n/a

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