william benjamin carpenter biologist administrator (2 Ergebnisse)

4pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering at gutter edge of reverse of last leaf, and covering the last few letters of Carpenter's signature. After explaining that he is directing Bostock's attentiont to 'the accompanying Remarks', he announces that he has 'lately decided upon relinquishing the practice of my Profession, and upon devoting myself altogether to the pursuit of Physiology and its allied branches of Science. This determination involves a very serious pecuniary sacrifice; and I cannot but feel very keenly, therefore, an attack which will have so prejudicial an influence on my future prospects, if I do not take some very decided mode of silencing the calumny.' He is 'procuring, for this purpose, the testimony of men whose position in the scientific world may give weight to their statements'. He asks Bostock to communicate to him 'your opinion in regard to the correctness and tendency of the views expressed in my Chapter "on the Nature and Causes of Vital Actions," and in the concluding one on the Evidences of Design'. If Bostock is not in possession of his 'Principles of Physiology' he has no doubt that 'Dr Roget' (Peter Mark Roget (1779-1869), MD, of the 'Thesaurus') will 'have pleasure in lending you his'. He feels sure that Bostock 'will agree with me, in general at least, as to the correctness of my views And I feel sure that you will exonerate me from the imputations which have been laid to my charge in regard to their dangerous tendency'. He asks at the same time for 'a separate testimonial as to my merits as a Physiologist'. He was 'happy to hear, while in Liverpool two months ago', of Bostock's improved health, and he has received a letter from his own father in Rome. (Carpenter's father, the Unitarian minister and school master Dr Lant Carpenter (1780-1840), would drown off Leghorn in April of the same year.) He hopes that Bostock has received a copy of 'my Prize Thesis on the Nervous System, which I desired Churchill [John Churchill (1801-1875), London medical publisher] to send you'. From the distinguished autograph collection of the psychiatrist Richard Alfred Hunter (1923-1981), whose collection of 7000 works relating to psychiatry is now in Cambridge University Library. Hunter and his mother Ida Macalpine had a particular interest in the illness of King George III, and their book 'George III and the Mad Business' (1969) suggested the diagnosis of porphyria popularised by Alan Bennett in his play 'The Madness of George III'.

According to his entry in the Oxford DNB, 'Carpenter studied initially at the Bristol medical school and then in London, and in 1835 7 and again in 1839 in Edinburgh, where he took the MD degree.' The present letter dates from the hiatus in Carpenter's Scottish studies, to Professor William Pulteney Alison (1790-1859) of Edinburgh University, addressing an allegation that he has plagiarised from fellow-student John Hughes Bennett. 4pp, 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is addressed, with postmarks and broken seal in red wax, to 'Dr Alison | University | Edinburgh'. Folded four times. Seventy-three lines of text. Carpenter begins by apologising to Alison for asking his opinion 'on a subject on which I am anxious to obtain the best information I can from those most qualified to judge'. The question Carpenter asks is: 'Do you think that there is any valid foundation afforded by pathology to the belief in the independent functions of the circuitous and medullary portions of the nervous system, as maintained by Foville, Bouillard and others. I am well aware that on anatomical grounds you have expressed your hesitation in according with it (Physiology, p.107); but so much stress has been laid on the pathological arguments which appear to support it, that, as it now becomes rather an important question from its connections with others (Grainger on the Spinal Cord. Ch. II) it seems desirable that it should be fairly sifted.' Carpenter states that he is himself 'at present engaged in a course of reading on the functions of the nervous system, in continuation of the subject of my paper in the Ed. Med. J. Surg. Journal, and as my pathological knowledge is too limited to make me feel competent to decide upon it myself, I shall feel extremely obliged by our opinion, and by any sources of information which you may point out to me'. The following paragraph concerns the 'very kind testimonial' with which Alison favoured Carpenter on his leaving Edinburgh. The next paragraph discusses 'a paper of mine on Vegetable Physiology in the July No. of Dr Forbes's Review'. There follows: 'I have been very sorry to hear that Dr Bennet [John Hughes Bennett (1812-1875), who had graduated from Edinburgh with the highest honours] has accused me to some of my friends in Edinburgh of having plagiarised from him in my paper on the Nervous System Those who know its history (and I may particularly refer to Dr J. Reid) will, I am sure, exonerate me from any such charge; and those who know me would, I hope, believe me to be incapable of it.' He describes the 'only foundation' of the charge', which he dismisses, 'as any one who compares the two may perceive, at least if Dr B. has printed what he read at the Medical Society'. (Hughes had read and published in 1837 the 'Inaugural Dissertation on the Physiology and Pathology of the Brain; being an Attempt to ascertain what Portions of that Organ are more immediately connected with Motion, Sensation, and Intelligence. Submitted to the Medical Faculty of the University of Edinburgh'.) He has, he explains, 'troubled' Alison 'with this explanation in case Dr B's statement should have reached your ears If he had printed it, as I understand he at one time intended to do, I should have replied to it I care little about priority of publication; but I am anxious to vindicate myself from the charge of dishonesty, especially amongst those whose esteem I so much value.' From the distinguished autograph collection of the psychiatrist Richard Alfred Hunter (1923-1981), whose collection of 7000 works relating to psychiatry is now in Cambridge University Library. Hunter and his mother Ida Macalpine had a particular interest in the illness of King George III, and their book 'George III and the Mad Business' (1969) suggested the diagnosis of porphyria popularised by Alan Bennett in his play 'The Madness of George III'.