Neurilemmoma of bone in a 50-year old woman: detail of tumour in left hand. Watercolour by Barbara E. Nicholson, 1950.

Nicholson, Barbara

Date:: 1950

Reference:: 33772i

Part of:: Barbara Nicholson medical illustration collection.

Pictures

Collection contents

Barbara Nicholson medical illustration collection.
- Neurilemmoma of bone in a 50-year old woman: detail of tumour in left hand. Watercolour by Barbara E. Nicholson, 1950.33772i

About this work

Description

This sketch of a very rare bone tumour, encapsulated beneath the sheath of peripheral nerves is to investigate the growth of inflammatory tissues with a view to publishing the findings. In this case, the tumour origins were nerve-sheaths within the cavity of the bone, and could be considered when dealing with cystic bone lesions in the future. Other characteristics were its long duration and significantly the clinical course was benign with a good prognosis

Publication/Creation

Ashford, Middlesex, 1950.

Physical description

1 painting : watercolour, with gouache and pencil ; sheet 26.1 x 17.9 cm

Contributors

Biographical note

Barbara Evelyn Nicholson (1906 – 1978) trained at the Royal College of Art, graduating in 1923. She began her artistic career as a medical illustrator and was a founder member of the Medical Artists Association, where she is recorded as serving on an exhibition committee in October 1949. By 1951, she had illustrated G.F. Gibberd, A short textbook of midwifery (2nd ed., London: J. & A. Churchill, 1941) and Philip Wiles, Essentials of orthopaedics (London: J. & A. Churchill, 1949). The Medical Artists Association records last list her, in 1951. In the 1950s her focus moved to botanical subjects and from the late 1950s – 1970s she was a prolific botanical illustrator.

Lettering

<...> aged 56, Cystic tumour of hand, 11.4.50 Lettering inscribed in pencil, published accompanying note states swelling appeared following sprain, with complete destruction of fourth metacarpal bone. Since the tumour involved both head and base of the bone, it was removed and a corresponding length was obtained from the tibia and grafted into position. The wound was then closed and the patient made a good recovery. Details of macroscopic and microscopic observations and radiograph appearances are also discussed in the published article, with a table of all similar cases Bears number: 195/1950 Published illustrations in article by H. Morus Jones, Ashford Hospital, "Neurilemmoma of bone", British journal of surgery, volume number 165, July, 1953

Reference

Wellcome Collection 33772i

Creator/production credits

The watercolours and pen and ink drawings held by Wellcome Collection were painted by Barbara Nicholson at Ashford Hospital, Ashford, Middlesex, between 1946 and 1951, at the request of the surgeon Norman Matheson.

Ownership note

Presented to the Wellcome Institute Library in 1987 by Ashford Postgraduate Medical Centre, as part of a collection of medical illustrations by Barbara E. Nicholson.

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