Contemporaries

Of men that I have met, I remember Charles Dickens, he was then a parliamentary reporter for the Morning Chronicle - another was Edward Irving, a religious enthusiast who published a quartlrly journal of prophesy, and like (another Scotch divine) Dr Cumming expected the speedy coming of Christ.

I remember attending lectures at the Royal Institution by Faraday and Brand.

The Royal College of Surgeons - Examinations

On my 22nd birthday I decided to obtain the diploma of the Royal College of Surgeons - I had then been engaged in six years in studying medicine and surgery, and had attended all the lectures required for qualifying myself for examination - At last the evening arrived when I appeared before the Council of 10 - no sooner was I called in, and a question put to me by one of the examiners tworads who I had turned, than the president interfered, and said I was to look at him, so I roused myself and spoke out loudly. when a deaf old man Sir William Blizard called out how very distinctly that young man speaks, I can hear every word he says - I answered every question satisfactorily except the last, which was on the treatment or errysipelas (?) I was unwilling to express an opinion, as I knew there were two opposite modes of treatment, so the examiner gave me his view as to how it should be treated - I then retired from the Chamber and on the 25 May 1835 was elected a Member of the College .

Many persons are very nervous on undergoing such a test of their qualifications -but knowing that I had studied hard, and whatever the result it was useless to anticipate it, I went to the theatre on the evening before the examination.

James Hinton, my cousin

The most distinguished student of my school was Joseph Toynbee who became the first aurist of the day in London, he unfortunately inhaled some new anaesthetic while experimentalising with it and was found dead at this study table, with note book at his side - (namesake?) His son has distinguished himself at Oxford where he has established a benevolent institution known as Toynbee Hall.

On Toynbees death my cousin James Hinton obtained the reputation of being the best aurist - for a few years he had a very lucrative practice in London, but his health broke down from mental strain, and after being a voluminous writer on metaphysics he succumbed to softening of the brain - His son Charles Hinton is an enthusiastic scientist at Oxford, and has written more than one treatise on theoretical subjects.

Hinton, James

Hinton, James, aurist and metaphysician, born at Reading; after taking his degree was for some time at sea and in Jamaica, but in 1850 established himself in London; specialising in ear-diseases he rose to the top of his profession, becoming lecturer at Guy's Hospital; his leisure was earnestly devoted to philosophy, and gave fruit in “Man and his Dwelling-Place,” “The Mystery of Pain,” “Philosophy and Religion,” &c.1822‒1875.

Definition taken from The Nuttall Encyclopædia, edited by the Reverend James Wood (1907)

Changing employment

In October 1834 I left Mr Cummins and entered as a student at the Westminster Hospital, under Surgeon Guthrie, who had a good reputation - he was present at Waterloo - and had written a book on gunshot wounds - on one occaion I was him operate on a boy for cleft palate - ether or chloroform were not known in those days - so he failed from the boys restlessness - I also attended lectures on medicine and jurisprudence by Dr Ryan - on botany by Dr Epps, the uncle of the present homeopathicocoa (?) Epps and surgery and anatomy by Mr MacDermot, a skilful anatomist. I have anatomical plates, from drawings from the dead body, taken in the dissecting room, while I was there more than fifty years ago - in those days medical students had the reputation of being a wild set and Albert Smith wrote a book called the adventures of Mr Ledbury describing all sorts of scenes real and imaginary in their lives - that educated young men love to show their dislike of restraint is proved by the disorderly scenes that take place in the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge - Edinburgh - Last year similar disorder took place in Melbourne, and the Governor Sir H. Lock declared it was the first and last time he would allow himself to preside at such scenes.

The medical students with whom I associated felt their responsibilities to their fathers and themselves - some from want of energy, retired from the contest - others were rejected for incompetency - but the majority pursuing a steady course, gained the object of their ambition, and passed some into the Army and Navy, others into country practice.

Attending medical lectures

In October 1832 Mr Cumming allowed me to to attend the lectures at the London Hospital, which was about two miles from his house, delivered by Dr Pereira on Chemistry and Dr Cobb on Materia Medica/preparations used in medicine. Dr Scoffern, a friend of my wifes family was assistant to Dr Pereira, and is still alive.

Early reading

During my stay with Mr Cumming I read many medical books and in general literature went through Popes translation of Homer's Iliad - Ossians Poems by Me..p... -Paradise regained, I preferred to Paradise Lost, as there were many references in the latter to the mythology of the Jews, Romans and Greeks that I could not comprehend - I may here mention that my eldest sister and I inherited from our father a defect in vision, called shortsightedness, obliging us to use spectacles for fifty years, but as we grew older and retired from active life, were able to resign their use, and cannow read with more comfort than most old people, who now require them.

The Surgeons Apprentice - other skills

Fifty years ago (1837) bleeding was still in general use for many urgent diseases, and with decided benefit - I remember a young woman who had walked rapidly about three miles on a cold winter's morning the wind had irritated her lungs so that she was in great pain, and could hardly breathe - I bled her to about 16 ounces of blood, and in a short time afterwards, she was free from pain, and could breathe freely.

Many weakly people were improrperly bled, who required nourishment and stimulants instead of evacuants - two of my lecturers were fond of ordering leeches, when I though food and warm clothing of more service.

Several sad cases of drowning took place in the river or docks - unfortunate women would do so, rather than lead a life of reproach - drunken men would tumble into the canal, never to wake again - and young men of vigour would unaccountably get drowned although good swimmers - from my after experience I consider that death in many cases arises from spasm of the epiglottis or windpipe - Several cases of insanity came under my notice - one that of a young woman who had been promised marriage by the mate of a vessel who omitted to do so, and the poor creature had to be sent to the Lunatic Asylum - another case was a middleaged timber merchant who about once a year closed his books, and walked to the Asylum, where he would reamin for a few months, and then return in his righmind to business - three times he had done so when I became acquainted with him.