Manuscript student medical notes on pharmacology and anatomy

Description

Notes taken by Frank Marflitt Downsland during his studies at Leeds School of Medicine, a member of the first cohort of students in 1831. Includes 40 watercolour drawings of various anatomical diagrams.
The volume is a Small quarto (16.5x20.5cm) bound in red roan over pasteboards with about two thirds of the original marble-paper covering. The manuscript has been written from both ends, dealing with the two of the foundational subjects for a medical student: pharmacology and anatomy.
The front of the volume which was used for pharmacology notes also contains a bifolium pasted onto the first page detailing the mission of the 'Leeds School of Medicine 1832-33', it also contains a ‘Plan of Lectures’ detailing lecture name, lecturer and costing for the lecture seasons. On the verso of the flyleaf Dowsland has set out his personal timetable in more detail, among his lecturers are most of the founders of the School, including Charles Thackrah, Thomas Teale, John Prince Garlick, James Williamson and Adam Hunter.
The back of the volume used for anatomical notes and drawings also includes a pencilled a note on the front pastedown in which he records mortality figures for an outbreak of unnamed disease: ‘July 16th 59 fresh cases 12 deaths 192 recoveries 102 remain...’.
Dowsland has sketched pen and watercolour diagrams of the skull, the pelvis, other bones and the arteries in pencil followed by a series of case study portraits of patients suffering from skin diseases including measles. Finally a series of diagrams of nerves and arteries. A couple of images, possibly showing female reproductive anatomy have been blacked out. [pp] 100

Biography or history

LEEDS MEDICAL SCHOOL opened on 6 June 1831 at the Leeds Public Dispensary on North Street. It was staffed by six physicians and surgeons, and admitted its first students in October of the same year, among them, as we learn from this manuscript, Francis Dowsland. Leeds was one of ten provincial medical schools founded in the 1820s and 1830s to address the shortfall in practical medical training away from London and Edinburgh. Nearly 200 years later the School of Medicine forms a vibrant part of the University of Leeds.

Francis Dowsland (1809-1872) was born in Wykeham, Yorkshire, and after finishing his training practised as a surgeon for many years in Weaverthorpe, near Scarborough in north Yorkshire.

Provenance

Listing based on description of the volume by bookdealer Christian White

Access and usage

Access

Access to this material is unrestricted.

Related subjects / tags

WARNING: many of our records have not been classified by subject. So if you search our catalogue by subject using the links below then you are unlikely to find all relevant records. But you will find some...