Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Thomas Woolhouse to Hans Sloane – March 7, 1730
Item info
Date: March 7, 1730
Author: John Thomas Woolhouse
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4050
Folio: ff. 283-284
Original Page
Transcription
Woolhouse sends medical theses by Mr Zollman. The 35 theses he sent before should have arrived, but the carrier died so they stayed in Amiens for some time. Woolhouse sent a journal to Mr Buckley’s address, which Sloane can now pick up. Beaumont is returning to London with a recommendation from Mr Walpole.
John Thomas Woolhouse was an English oculist and physician. He practiced physic in London, served James II for a time, and in 1711 secured a position at Paris’s Hospice des Quinze-Vingts. He served as the King of France’s oculist, was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1721, and a member of both the Berlin Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Sciences of Bologna. Woolhouse was criticized for charlatanry by some contemporaries (Anita McConnell, Woolhouse, John Thomas (16661734), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/29954, accessed 17 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Thomas Woolhouse to Hans Sloane – November 30, 1729
Item info
Date: November 30, 1729
Author: John Thomas Woolhouse
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4050
Folio: ff. 241-242
Original Page
Transcription
Woolhouse has taken to the liberty to write Sloane before his son Beaumont returns to France. He sends thirty five theses on medicine and surgery from Montpellier as well as the latest Memoires de l’académie with Thomas Carte. Mr Carte was a good friend of the prosecutor Prys, ‘l’homme du monde le plus injuste’. Woolhouse describes his son Beaumont’s travel arrangements. He requests that Sloane provide protection for Beaumont, whose wife is sick and pregnant.
John Thomas Woolhouse was an English oculist and physician. He practiced physic in London, served James II for a time, and in 1711 secured a position at Paris’s Hospice des Quinze-Vingts. He served as the King of France’s oculist, was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1721, and a member of both the Berlin Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Sciences of Bologna. Woolhouse was criticized for charlatanry by some contemporaries (Anita McConnell, Woolhouse, John Thomas (16661734), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/29954, accessed 17 July 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Richard Richardson to Hans Sloane – July 21, 1727
Item info
Date: July 21, 1727
Author: Richard Richardson
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4049
Folio: ff. 6-7
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Language
English
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Library
British Library, London
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Categories
Collections, Scholarship, Scientific, Trade or Commodities, Travel
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Subjects
Botany, Game, History, Japan, Plants, Publishing, Specimens, Subscriptions, Wales
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Date (as written)
July 21, 1727
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Standardised date
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Origin (as written)
North Bierley
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Others mentioned
Sam. Brewer Philip Miller John Firth
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Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
Richardson sends ‘more game’ by John Firth. He has not come across anything noteworthy in natural history as of late. Last year he came across an abundant growth of ‘Stashys Fuchey [?]’ just outside of London. Richardson received a letter from Mr Miller informing him of a ‘Treasure of plants’ that arrived in Holland. He heard Dr Scheuchzer’s translation of Engelbert Kaempfer’s History of Japan was published. He is going to send the second subscription payment to Mr Miller to pass on to Sloane. Richardson has received letters from Sam. Brewer, who has been in Wales and Anglesey for a year collecting plants and ‘made very considerable discoverys’.
Richardson was a physician and botanist who traveled widely in England, Wales, and Scotland in search of rare specimens. He corresponded and exchanged plants with many well-known botanists and naturalists (W. P. Courtney, Richardson, Richard (16631741), rev. Peter Davis, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2010 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23576, accessed 31 May 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Jno: Hough to Char: Vere –
Item info
Date:
Author: Jno: Hough
Recipient: Char: Vere
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: MS 4066
Folio: f. 381
Original Page
Transcription
Sr:
I being [strick?] with ye sence of ye [tespass?] which I commited
against you in your absence: restrains me from approaching you
in person I therefore with humble Submition beg yt: you will
allow; these to be my advocate and in some measure plead for me
I will not go about to justifie my self now especialy for having offended
one who has been so good a Benifactor to me: all therefore yt: I desire
to say: and beg your beliefe of is this: yt: ye: thing was never, by me
premeditated in the Least: but ye imediate Effect of too much drink which
I unadvisedly had drank which verry offten proves ye Bane of –
Mankind. My accusers have not been: wanting in agravating
ye Crime to its utmost Extention: Not only to prejuduce me in
your favour as ye. only person agrieved: but allso in ye favour
of those Gentlmen under who me at present I Gett part of […]
Bread: for I now [sir?] under ye: misfortune of ye loss of a fing[er?]
which hass rendred me Totaly incapable of getting any other
Bread but yt: of watching ye which with my sincere [sorow?] for my
offence I humbly offer to your judicious Consideration: Trusting
wholy to yr: Clemency for my absolution ye: which shall for ever
oblige me to acknoledg my self
Sr: Yr: Very Humble Sorrowfull Servt:
Jno: Hough
John Hough asks Charles Vere to advocate on his behalf. Hough does not specify his predicament but he states: “yt: ye: thing was never, by me premeditated in the Least: but ye imediate Effect of too much drink which I unadvisedly had drank which verry offten proves ye Bane of – Mankind.” John Hough was the President of Magdalen College, Oxford and the Bishop of Worcester. He published several anti-Catholic pamphlets during his career (Julian Lock, Hough, John (16511743), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/13862, accessed 14 June 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
William Derham to Hans Sloane – March 28, 1706
Item info
Date: March 28, 1706
Author: William Derham
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4040
Folio: ff. 141-142
Original Page
Transcription
[fol. 142]
Sr Upminster Mar. 28. 1706
My wife hath persisted in your Directions parti-
cularly the taking Woodlice, & having [symbol] depurat: & Fennel
water dropt into her Eye. This latter did not well agree
with the Eye, by reason it caused a small Inflam-
mation therein so yt we were forced to leave it off.
She took a Purge about a week agoe of Pil: Cochin
as you directed, wch wrought well, but left her with
a violent pain just over that Eye (wch hath the Suffusion) wch continues
there & sometimes in all her Head about 4 days &
then fell into one of her Teeth with great Pain, &
then remains still. Sometimes it was in her Cheek
& sometimes in other parts of the Head, or Throat. I
think the Albugo or membrane on the outside of the Cornea is some
what wasted wch she [symbol] lick medicine. I beg the favour of
your farther Directions in this my Wifes case.
I have had one wch me about your Farme, who volun
tarily offered an advance of Rent, but I told him that
Culverwell was not to be yet discharged, as I supposed
Now for things in the Heavens* As I was observ-
ing the Imersions of the 3d and 4th Satelitte of ♃ [Jupiter] on ye
20th of this March in the Evening. I espied a very odd
sort of Light in the Constellation of [symbol], the lower end
of which was below the Bulls-Eye, & the other a good
way above it, & yt staer about the middle of the low-
er end thereof, as in the annexed figure below, wch doth
represent its appearance to me. This Glade of Light
had the same motion that the Heavens had, & was much
like the Tail of a Comet, but pointed at the upper end, as
in the Figure. This Light I doubt not is such as Dr Childrey
first observed in England, & wch Castini & others afterwards ob-
served in France, as Dr Hook saith [words obfuscated] I am
sorry the there following Nights were cloudy & although
Easter-day evening was fair, yet I forgot it unluckily then.
And Easter monday being cloudy in the evening I could not ob-
serve it a second time till Tuesday last & then it was gone.
Yesterday looking on the Sun, I espied two small spots near
his Center wchI suppose lately have sprung up, because I did
not perceive any on the Diske a day or two before, when I took
a view of him. These spots will be on the ☉ [Sun] Diske probably till
after the next meeting of the Society. And I have advertised you
of them, yt if you or any of the Society desire it, you may have
the pleasure of seeing them. My wifes humble service to you, &
we both acknowledge out obligations to you
Sr Your most faithfull humble servant
Wm Derham
I lately recd a Lr
From Mr J. Thorpe (I suppose
it may be him yt takes care of
Dr Schinkers Book [?]) about the loss of my first
paper on Magnetick I told him that my friend
paper might be published alone, if I but referred him
to you about it.
Derham was a Church of England clergyman and a natural philosopher, interested in nature, mathematics, and philosophy. He frequently requested medical advice from Sloane, and likely served as a physician to his family and parishioners (Marja Smolenaars, “Derham, William (1657-1735)”, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/7528, accessed 7 June 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Hale to Hans Sloane – June 14, 1706
Item info
Date: June 14, 1706
Author: John Hale
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4075
Folio: f. 201
Original Page
Transcription
Offered to transcribe something to repay Sloane for seeing him in private, which would also divert him.
Patient Details
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Patient info
Name: N/A John Hale
Gender:
Age:
-
Description
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Diagnosis
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Treatment
Previous Treatment:
Ongoing Treatment: Sloane prescribed a poultice but Hale was concerned that he applied it wrong as it caused a painful inflammation and swelling and was peeling off skin. He asked for further advice. The poultice caused him so much misery but he was unsure whether it was worse to stop it or keep with it. He did put water on it as Sloane suggested and it made it a a little better.
Response: Swelling, pain and inflammation at the sight of the poultice. He could not walk without pain. He would be willing to come coming to town to consult with Sloane or any other "private" doctor that Sloane might recommend. Since he was nervous in strange places he asked to be seen in Sloane's house.
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More information
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Medical problem reference
Inflammations, Venereal complaints, Poultice, Hernia, Skin ailments
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
John Ray to Hans Sloane – October 21, 1689
Item info
Date: October 21, 1689
Author: John Ray
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4036
Folio: f. 62
Original Page
Transcription
Ray is alarmed his last letter did not reach Sloane. Sloane is welcome to visit Black Notley whenever he is nearby. Ray encourages Sloane to publish his Jamaican observations and is glad his return voyage to England was uneventful. He thanks Sloane for the seeds. The weather was supposed to be poor the coming winter and Ray does not expect Sloane to travel in it.
Ray was a theologian and naturalist who collected and catalogued his botanical findings in the much lauded Historia plantarum (1686, 1688) (Scott Mandelbrote, Ray , John (16271705), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2005 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23203, accessed 18 June 2013]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Ralph Thoresby to Hans Sloane – December 6, 1701
Item info
Date: December 6, 1701
Author: Ralph Thoresby
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4038
Folio: ff. 272-273
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Language
English
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Library
British Library, London
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Categories
Collections, Library, Scientific
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Subjects
Archimedes' screw, Catalogues, Engineering, Excavation, Jetties, Plants, Specimens
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Date (as written)
December 6, 1701
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Standardised date
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Origin (as written)
Leeds
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Others mentioned
John Rastrick Benjamin Walford
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Patients mentioned
Original Page
Transcription
John Rastrick, a minister, is the man Sloane was asking about. Thoresby quotes Rastrick’s letter in full, which concerns the jetties of ‘the River Welland’. Many things were dredged from the bottom, including many plants. Rastrick’s letter states: ‘the Archimedean screw, or screw-like Trunk or cylinder by wch ye workmen cleard themselves of water, was very pretty.’ Thoresby asks Sloane to lend him plant specimens to which he can compare his collection.
Thoresby was an antiquary and topographer. He expanded his fathers Musaeum Thoresbyanum impressively, and his collection brought him into discussion with many important political and scholarly figures (P. E. Kell, Thoresby, Ralph (16581725), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2006 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/27334, accessed 27 June 2013]).
Posted on August 31, 2017 by Tallulah Pepperell -
Thomas Uvedale was the brother of Richard Uvedale, a botanist and friend of Sloane. Thomas was also a botanist and acquaintance of Sloane’s and sent him a number of plants.
Reference:
Thomas Uvedale to Hans Sloane, 1735-07-04, Sloane MS 4054, f. 66, British Library, London
G. S. Boulger, ‘Uvedale, Robert (1642–1722)’, rev. Anita McConnell, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/28042, accessed 31 Aug 2017]
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
Relationship to Sloane:
Virtual International Authority File:
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Thomas Farrer to Hans Sloane – June 21, 1736
Item info
Date: June 21, 1736
Author: Thomas Farrer
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4075
Folio: f. 112
Original Page
Transcription
Patient Details
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Patient info
Name: Lady Russell
Gender:
Age:b. 1715, d. 1794. [Lady Gertrude Russell, Duchess of Bedford: The Complete Peerage, vol. 2, pp. 82-83.]
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Description
came with usual complaints: vomiting, purging, disordered spirits, lack of appetite. Had swollen abdomen.
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Diagnosis
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Treatment
Previous Treatment: Prescribed her milk and scorbutic waters.
Ongoing Treatment: Has proposed Scarborough, for which Lady Russell wanted Sloane's opinion. Farrer also had his doubts about the waters. Asked Sloane to compare the waters at Scarborough and Bath.
Response: Milk agreed. Scorbutic waters reduced stools. Bath waters, which she had used on previous occasions, agreed with her.
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More information
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Medical problem reference
Emotions, Stomach, Waters
