Ophthalmology
Album of original eye studies and sketches by James Travis Whittaker, c.1873-5
£1,500
Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photographs
Auction: 13 July 2022 from 10:00 BST
Description
containing some 40 colour sketches (watercolour with evidence of pastel) of eyes and retinas, healthy and with various abnormalities, many annotated with condition and name and age of patient, a few signed 'J. T. W.' and dated, and including a large head-and-shoulders portrait of a woman possibly with exophthalmia (28 x 22cm), the others captioned cornical cornea, varicose iris, 'Agnes Coltman, 3, epicanthus from disease of bone', 'circular saw accident', and similar (various dimensions, mainly 5 x 5cm to 12 x 12cm and larger), together with some 230 additional sketches in pencil or pen and ink, frequently captioned, including medical interest (e.g. 'M. Henderson, perforation of trachea', 'Jane Herd, 22, adenitis', two studies of deformed hands), portraits and caricatures of contemporaries and acquaintances, views (Ailsa Craig, Carlisle Castle, etc.), a long-haired spectral figure in the style of William Blake ('Shades of Night') and assorted other subjects, and a number of etchings and engravings, all mounted rectos and versos on 30 stiff card album leaves, 'Notice of Removal' plate ('J. Travis Whittaker, M.D., Physician and Surgeon') and cabinet photograph possibly of Whittaker mounted to inside front cover, contemporary dark red roan album, covers detached, several leaves loose
Footnote
Note: James Travis Whittaker (c.1850-1905) graduated MD from the University of Glasgow in 1876. 'In the 1888 medical directory his address is given as Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, and his list of appointments includes senior physician and ophthalmic surgeon, Anderson's College Dispensary. (Many of the vignettes in the album are of staff of Anderson's College.) He also had a remarkable list of inventions to his credit, at least one of which is mentioned in the album: the revolving midwifery forceps; the zonometer; the portable hot air and vapour bath; forceps for iridectomy; disarticulating stethoscope; elastic tourniquet with spring clips' artificial lung (giving sounds); artificial heart exhibiting action of valves and giving murmurs for teaching; insufflator; ophthalmoscope' (typed memorandum, attached to Medical History Conferences compliments slip annotated by Director Dr Nicholas Dewey, dated 1987, included with the lot).
Provenance: M. D. Sanders FRCP FRCS HonFRCOphth (bookplate).