Heape, Walter to Francis Galton

Letters from Heape to Galton regarding attempts to artificially fertilise rabbits.

Heape responds to Galton's plea to experiment with artificial insemination of rabbits. In the letters Heape describes his efforts to preserve spermatozoa without bacterial infection, and concludes that artificial removal is necessary. He reports difficulties in getting rabbits to ovulate, and speculates on the relationship between copulation and ovulation.

Heape discusses Edward Millais' experiments with the artificial fertilisation of dogs, and reports in the Horseman of artificial insemination of horses. In later letters Heape advises that he is focusing on the time and location of ovum maturation, and does not object to Galton contacting Billings for further advice.

In the letter dated 18 Jan 1897 Heape discusses the definition and usage of the term "impregnation".

1894-1895

14 letters

The papers are available at UCL Special Collections and Archives subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.

A digitised copy is held by the Wellcome Library as part of Codebreakers: Makers of Modern Genetics.

The original material is held at UCL Special Collections. This catalogue is held by the Wellcome Library as part of Codebreakers: Makers of Modern Genetics.