Women wearing four different styles of fashionable wigs. Coloured etching.

A wig-seller dressing a wig on a stand in his shop; the wig-stands bear the heads of Tory politicians. Wood engraving by W.C.W. after R. Seymour.

Two physicians in "macaroni" fashions. Etching by J. Johnson after J.W.B. (Bretherton?), 1772.

A man is blown out of a window by an enema. Engraving.

Gentlemen round a table at their club, smoking and drinking punch. Coloured mezzotint, late 18th century.

A lady retiring to bed, and ordering her maid to look after her artificial aids to beauty (wig, teeth, glass eye etc.). Coloured etching by P. Roberts after G.M Woodward.

Christ's Hospital: the Great Hall during a ceremony. Engraving by J. G. Walker, 1822, after T. Stothard, 1799.

Five decrepit doctors crushed together in consultation. Coloured lithograph after L. Boilly, c. 1823.

A medical consultation while a patient dies; a group of soldiers with a family; men in an artist's loft. Coloured lithograph c. 1840.

Bonnell Thornton lying ill in bed, consulting three physicians and pointing out their inadequacies. Coloured etching attributed to C. Williams.

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1 print : etching, with watercolour ; platemark 24.4 x 34.5 cm

An episode in Tristram Shandy: Dr. Slop, with his wig on fire, angrily gesticulating to Susannah who holds her nose near the wounded baby Tristram Shandy. Coloured etching after H.W. Bunbury after L. Sterne.

In the early nineteenth century there were several rival medical systems, including Brunonianism, the system of Broussais, phrenology and homoeopathy, in addition to variations on traditional western medicine. Brunonianism, the theory of John Brown (1735-1788), regarded most illnesses as due to a deficit of stimulation, requiring treatment with medicines based on opium or alcohol. In France, François Joseph Victor Broussais (1772-1838) proposed a theory of irritability which was to be controlled by purging and especially bloodletting. Brown acquired a European reputation, especially after his death. Broussais tried to ridicule Brown and his followers in many of his verbose writings. The short-lived success of their competing systems illustrates the fatal attractiveness of over-simple theories. This drawing, probably by a French or German hand, shows a battle between the rival partisans of Brown (on the left) and Broussais (on the right): they are identified by military standards (flags) inscribed "Brown" (left) and "Broussai<s>" (right)

1 drawing : pen and ink ; image 35.4 x 45.2 cm

A fierce battle between the supporters of John Brown (Bruno), in favour of treatment with stimulants, and those of F.J.V. Broussais, in favour of bloodletting. Pen drawing.

King George IV, near the end of his life, sits obese, haggard, and gouty, on a chair surmounted by a crown. Wellington says to him: "A great deal of fever remaining - considerable irritation to be got rid of, then the pill will work well - take plenty of punch by way of alternative." The King replies: "Oh! doctor! doctor! your remedies are worse than the disease - they are undermining the constitution!"

1 print : etching, with watercolour ; border 35 x 24.6 cm

A gouty patient having his pulse taken by a doctor; representing George IV's opposition to Catholic emancipation, and Wellington's support of it. Coloured etching by T. Jones, 1829.

"1760" refers to the time of the ancien régime and contrasts the picture with another of Boilly's 'Grimaces' series bearing the same title, but a different date, 1823. It shows a group of fashionable young doctors and can be seen in Wellcome Library no. 16325i

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Wigs

Images

Works

An episode in Tristram Shandy: Dr. Slop, with his wig on fire, angrily gesticulating to Susannah who holds her nose near the wounded baby Tristram Shandy. Coloured etching after H.W. Bunbury after L. Sterne.

A fierce battle between the supporters of John Brown (Bruno), in favour of treatment with stimulants, and those of F.J.V. Broussais, in favour of bloodletting. Pen drawing.

A gouty patient having his pulse taken by a doctor; representing George IV's opposition to Catholic emancipation, and Wellington's support of it. Coloured etching by T. Jones, 1829.

Five decrepit doctors crushed together in consultation. Coloured lithograph by F-S. Delpech after L. Boilly, c. 1823.

Four Georgian gentlemen at their club seriously engaged in smoking. Stipple print by H. Bunbury, c. 1794.

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Wellcome uses cookies.

Wigs

Images

Works

An episode in Tristram Shandy: Dr. Slop, with his wig on fire, angrily gesticulating to Susannah who holds her nose near the wounded baby Tristram Shandy. Coloured etching after H.W. Bunbury after L. Sterne.

A fierce battle between the supporters of John Brown (Bruno), in favour of treatment with stimulants, and those of F.J.V. Broussais, in favour of bloodletting. Pen drawing.

A gouty patient having his pulse taken by a doctor; representing George IV's opposition to Catholic emancipation, and Wellington's support of it. Coloured etching by T. Jones, 1829.

Five decrepit doctors crushed together in consultation. Coloured lithograph by F-S. Delpech after L. Boilly, c. 1823.

Four Georgian gentlemen at their club seriously engaged in smoking. Stipple print by H. Bunbury, c. 1794.

Wellcome Collection

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