Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1781-1783 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 volume
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Nathaniel Bedford was born in 1757. In 1776 he served a years apprenticeship under John Gunning at St George's hospital. He qualified under the auspices of the Company of Surgeons as Second Mate, First Rate, March 5 1778 and as Surgeon, 5th Rate on April 19 1781. In December 1781 Bedford, joined the 'Formidable' as Surgeon. It was docked at Portsmouth and left in January 1782 sailing for the West Indies. Bedford was appointed Surgeon to the 'Ardent' in June 1782, soon after that he joined the 'Conqueror' in Barbados and sailed with it to New York and Boston and then back to Barbados. In December 1782 the ship sailed to Antigua and Guadeloupe and then to English Harbour returning to England in July 1783. The rest of Bedford's life and career is not known.
Repository
Archival history
Presented by Robert Rutson James to the Library of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1933. The donation was noted in the Library donation registers on 4th May 1933. James attributed the volume to Bedford.
GB 0114 MS0002 1781-1783 FONDS 1 volume Bedford, Nathaniel, fl 1781-1783, naval surgeon
Nathaniel Bedford was born in 1757. In 1776 he served a years apprenticeship under John Gunning at St George's hospital. He qualified under the auspices of the Company of Surgeons as Second Mate, First Rate, March 5 1778 and as Surgeon, 5th Rate on April 19 1781. In December 1781 Bedford, joined the 'Formidable' as Surgeon. It was docked at Portsmouth and left in January 1782 sailing for the West Indies. Bedford was appointed Surgeon to the 'Ardent' in June 1782, soon after that he joined the 'Conqueror' in Barbados and sailed with it to New York and Boston and then back to Barbados. In December 1782 the ship sailed to Antigua and Guadeloupe and then to English Harbour returning to England in July 1783. The rest of Bedford's life and career is not known.
Presented by Robert Rutson James to the Library of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1933. The donation was noted in the Library donation registers on 4th May 1933. James attributed the volume to Bedford.
Presented by R R James to library of Royal College of Surgeons in 1933
This collection contains a single manuscript volume, the 'Naval Surgeons Casebook'. The volume begins with details of cases, symptoms and cures of Nathaniel Bedford's patients at St George's hospital during 1781. The rest of the volume contains descriptions of cases, sickness, and treatments during his travels whilst a ship's surgeon in the West Indies during 1781-1783.
None expected
Chronological
Access available on application to the Deputy Librarian. Please contact Tina Craig.
No photocopying permitted
English
Bound volume, vellum, worm holes on spine
A Naval Surgeon's Log, 1781-1783 by R R James [Journal of the Royal Naval Medical Service Oct 1933]
The author's name is not written anywhere on the volume but only one pupil at St George's Hospital at this time went on to qualify as a naval surgeon. The warrant of Bedford joining the 'Ardent' is still in existence at The National Archives.
Taken from AIM25 description prepared by Claire Jackson, Archivist, RCSENG. September 2000. Updated and transferred by Beth McNeice, Project Archivist, August 2003. National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997; ISAD(G), Second Edition, 2000. September 2000. Transport Vehicles Ships Nutritional diseases Scurvy Social stratification Social class Working class Vitamin deficiencies Health services Patients Pathology Diseases Nutritional and metabolic diseases State security Armed forces Naval personnel People People by occupation Personnel Medical profession Medical personnel Physicians Life cycle Death Research work Experiments Climatology Weather Therapy Medical treatment Organizations Military organizations Medical sciences Surgery Surgeons Health International relations Oceanography Social sciences Social welfare Bedford , Nathaniel , fl 1781-1783 , naval surgeon Formidable , ship St George's Hospital , London Antigua and Barbuda Caribbean West Indies
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Presented by R R James to library of Royal College of Surgeons in 1933
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This collection contains a single manuscript volume, the 'Naval Surgeons Casebook'. The volume begins with details of cases, symptoms and cures of Nathaniel Bedford's patients at St George's hospital during 1781. The rest of the volume contains descriptions of cases, sickness, and treatments during his travels whilst a ship's surgeon in the West Indies during 1781-1783.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
None expected
System of arrangement
Chronological
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Access available on application to the Deputy Librarian. Please contact Tina Craig.
Conditions governing reproduction
No photocopying permitted
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
The author's name is not written anywhere on the volume but only one pupil at St George's Hospital at this time went on to qualify as a naval surgeon. The warrant of Bedford joining the 'Ardent' is still in existence at The National Archives.
Notes area
Note
The author's name is not written anywhere on the volume but only one pupil at St George's Hospital at this time went on to qualify as a naval surgeon. The warrant of Bedford joining the 'Ardent' is still in existence at The National Archives.
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Transport
- Vehicles
- Vehicles » Ships
- Pathology » Diseases » Nutritional diseases
- Social stratification
- Social stratification » Social class
- Social stratification » Social class » Working class
- Health services
- Health services » Patients
- Pathology
- Pathology » Diseases
- State security
- State security » Armed forces
- Personnel
- Medical profession
- Medical profession » Medical personnel
- Medical profession » Medical personnel » Physicians
- Life cycle
- Life cycle » Death
- Research work
- Research work » Experiments
- Climatology
- Climatology » Weather
- Therapy
- Therapy » Medical treatment
- Organizations
- Medical sciences
- Medical sciences » Surgery
- Health
- International relations
- Oceanography
- Social sciences
- Social welfare
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997; ISAD(G), Second Edition, 2000.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English