GB 0114 MS0015 - Hunter-Jenner Letters

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0114 MS0015

Title

Hunter-Jenner Letters

Date(s)

  • 1773-1793 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

1 volume

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

John Hunter and his brother William ran a School of Anatomy in Great Windmill Street, London which was opened by William in 1768. John practised as surgeon in Golden Square from 1763, was Surgeon to St George's Hospital from 1768, and enjoyed widespread recognition as the leading teacher of surgery of his time. Edward Jenner was born in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, 1749, and was a resident pupil of John Hunter from 1770 to 1772. He returned to practice medicine at Berkeley in 1773, but continued to correspond with John Hunter on many subjects until Hunter's death in 1793. Jenner went on to investigate and experiment with vaccinations for small pox with cow pox, publishing articles and books on the subject. Hunter maintained a long correspondence with his former pupil which ended only with Hunter's death in 1793. Only Hunter's letters survive.

Archival history

The letters were apparently bequeathed by Jenner to John Baron, his biographer.
GB 0114 MS0015 1773-1793 Collection (fonds) 1 volume Hunter , John , 1728-1793 , anatomist and surgeon
Jenner , Edward , 1749-1823 , physician and naturalist

John Hunter and his brother William ran a School of Anatomy in Great Windmill Street, London which was opened by William in 1768. John practised as surgeon in Golden Square from 1763, was Surgeon to St George's Hospital from 1768, and enjoyed widespread recognition as the leading teacher of surgery of his time. Edward Jenner was born in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, 1749, and was a resident pupil of John Hunter from 1770 to 1772. He returned to practice medicine at Berkeley in 1773, but continued to correspond with John Hunter on many subjects until Hunter's death in 1793. Jenner went on to investigate and experiment with vaccinations for small pox with cow pox, publishing articles and books on the subject. Hunter maintained a long correspondence with his former pupil which ended only with Hunter's death in 1793. Only Hunter's letters survive.

The letters were apparently bequeathed by Jenner to John Baron, his biographer.

Purchased by the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1877.

Volume containing 32 letters from John Hunter to Edward Jenner, 1773-1793. The letters were written whilst Jenner practiced medicine at Berkeley, Gloucestershire, having been a pupil of Hunters in London from 1770 to 1772. The letters record Hunter's encouragement of Jenner in his botanical, ornithological and medical observations and experiments, and include requests for Jenner to send him animal specimens, including fossils.

The records are arranged as outlined in the scope and content.

Open to bona fide researchers by written appointment.

At the discretion of the Librarian.
English

Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (1928) by Victor G Plarr.

Hunter: The Royal College of Surgeons of England holds correspondence and papers (Ref: NRA 9521 RCS scientific).

Papers are also held by the Royal Society and Natural History Museum. Anatomical notes (Ref.: Add MS 34407) are held by the British Library, Manuscript Collections; surgical lecture notes (Ref: KCLCA Hunter) are held by King's College London; lecture notes, [1765-1787] (Ref: MSS 2959-64, 5597-98)and notes on the principles of surgery and venereal diseases (Ref: acc 349837) are held by the Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine; lecture notes (copies), 1813 (Ref: MS Don e 116) are held by Oxford University: Bodleian Library, Special Collections and Western Manuscripts; lecture notes (Ref: NUC MS 66-1486) are held by the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, USA; lecture notes, [1770], are held by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

Jenner: Correspondence and papers, 1772-1823, are held by the Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine (Reference: MSS 3014-28); papers (64 items), 1800-1822, held by the Duke University Medical Library, North Carolina, USA; diary and papers, 1787-1821, held by the Royal College of Physicians of London (Reference: MS 372); correspondence, diary and papers (Reference: D18/659) and letters to TGB Estcourt, 1805-1809 (Reference: D1571) held by Gloucestershire Record Office; papers, 1790, held by McGill University: Osler Library, Montreal, Canada; observations on the cuckoo, 1787, held by the Royal Society; letters, held by the Jenner Museum (Reference: MGC); letters (18) to AJC Marcet held by the Royal Society of Medicine; letters (c100), 1787-1822, held by Johns Hopkins University Libraries; correspondence and papers (transcripts), 1788-1823, held by the University of Michigan: William L Clements Library.

Sources: Dictionary of National Biography (Smith, Elder and Co, London, 1895); Historical Manuscripts Commission On-line National Register of Archives; British Library Public On-line Catalogue. Compiled by Julie Tancell as part of the RSLP AIM25 project. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997. October 2002 Equipment Anatomical specimens Avon Berkeley Biology Botany California England Europe Fossils Hunter , John , 1728-1793 , surgeon and anatomist Jenner , Edward , 1749-1823 , surgeon and pioneer of smallpox vaccination Medical personnel Medical profession Medical sciences Medical specimens North America Ornithology Palaeontology Personnel Physicians Scientific equipment Surgeons Surgery UK USA Western Europe Zoology People by occupation People London

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Purchased by the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1877.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Volume containing 32 letters from John Hunter to Edward Jenner, 1773-1793. The letters were written whilst Jenner practiced medicine at Berkeley, Gloucestershire, having been a pupil of Hunters in London from 1770 to 1772. The letters record Hunter's encouragement of Jenner in his botanical, ornithological and medical observations and experiments, and include requests for Jenner to send him animal specimens, including fossils.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

The records are arranged as outlined in the scope and content.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open to bona fide researchers by written appointment.

Conditions governing reproduction

At the discretion of the Librarian.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Papers are also held by the Royal Society and Natural History Museum. Anatomical notes (Ref.: Add MS 34407) are held by the British Library, Manuscript Collections; surgical lecture notes (Ref: KCLCA Hunter) are held by King's College London; lecture notes, [1765-1787] (Ref: MSS 2959-64, 5597-98)and notes on the principles of surgery and venereal diseases (Ref: acc 349837) are held by the Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine; lecture notes (copies), 1813 (Ref: MS Don e 116) are held by Oxford University: Bodleian Library, Special Collections and Western Manuscripts; lecture notes (Ref: NUC MS 66-1486) are held by the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, USA; lecture notes, [1770], are held by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

Jenner: Correspondence and papers, 1772-1823, are held by the Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine (Reference: MSS 3014-28); papers (64 items), 1800-1822, held by the Duke University Medical Library, North Carolina, USA; diary and papers, 1787-1821, held by the Royal College of Physicians of London (Reference: MS 372); correspondence, diary and papers (Reference: D18/659) and letters to TGB Estcourt, 1805-1809 (Reference: D1571) held by Gloucestershire Record Office; papers, 1790, held by McGill University: Osler Library, Montreal, Canada; observations on the cuckoo, 1787, held by the Royal Society; letters, held by the Jenner Museum (Reference: MGC); letters (18) to AJC Marcet held by the Royal Society of Medicine; letters (c100), 1787-1822, held by Johns Hopkins University Libraries; correspondence and papers (transcripts), 1788-1823, held by the University of Michigan: William L Clements Library.

Finding aids

Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (1928) by Victor G Plarr.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Hunter: The Royal College of Surgeons of England holds correspondence and papers (Ref: NRA 9521 RCS scientific).

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Royal College of Surgeons of England

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area