Citation

Kaufman MH. J. R. Coll. Surg. Edinb. 2001; 46(5): 279-289.

Affiliation

Division of Biomedical and Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Edinburgh, UK. M.Kaufman@ed.ac.uk

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, Playfair Trust on behalf of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11697696

Abstract

The Anatomical Museum of the University of Edinburgh contains a substantial collection of human osteological preparations that display the effects of musket-ball and sabre injuries. Most of these formerly belonged to the Museum Collection associated with the class of Military Surgery. This collection had principally been amassed by Sir George Ballingall to illustrate his lectures when he was Regius Professor of Military Surgery in the University of Edinburgh from 1822-55. About half of the osteological preparations in his collection had been purchased from Dr Rutherford Alcock in 1843. Alcock had collected them when he was Deputy Inspector General of Hospitals to the British Auxiliary Legion in Spain during the Carlist War of 1835-37. Just under 60% of the osteological preparations purchased from Alcock still remain on display in the Anatomy Museum of the University of Edinburgh. Previously, the only information on these items was that published in Ballingall's Catalogue of the Museum attached to the Class of Military Surgery, published in 1855. Very recently, twelve volumes of manuscript material, consisting principally of clinical case records prepared by Alcock and his medical officers have been located in the Special Collections Section of Edinburgh University Library. This has now enabled the full clinical case records of the majority of the individuals whose osteological preparations are still available in the collection to be studied. This manuscript material provides a unique record of the treatment of the sick and wounded men in this campaign. It also allows the clinical records of men wounded by musket-ball to be studied with their associated bony lesions.