Correspondence

The file comprises:

Letter (31 January, 1900) from Dr W Dowson (WPRL) to Messrs Burroughs Wellcome & Co: "I forward you herewith the proof of the letter and petition which I have carefully gone through without finding any mistakes." Attached is "a copy of the petition of Mr Henry S Wellcome (principal of the firm of Burroughs Wellcome & Co, manufacturing and research chemists) to the Home Secretary, in which he asks that his physiological laboratories may be registered under the Vivisection Act, for reasons which are briefly indicated." Two copies present in file. Also, a typed list of names (and organizations) to whom this copy of the petition was sent.

Acknowledgement from Kenelm E Digby, Home Office, of "your Letter of the 5th inst and enclosure". Dated 6 February, 1900.

Printed versions (two copies, slight difference in signatories) of the printed petition "carefully gone through" by Dowson (above, 31 January, 1900). Addressed to The Right Honourable Sir Matthew White Ridley, Bart, Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Home Department. One of the two copies is dated, in pencil, 15 February, 1900.

Acknowledgement from Kenelm E Digby, Home Office, of "your Letter of the 15th inst and enclosures". Dated 16 February, 1900.

Letter (holograph, 16 February, 1900), Tresillian, 24 Bedford Square, Brighton, Henry Wellcome to Mr [Collett] Smith, beginning: "In all cases ask Dr Dowson to put great very great stress upon the research features of our work which is done at heavy expense and placed at the disposal of the med profession without regard to reward...." With brief note in pencil.

Letter (carbon copy, 20 February, 1900), 10 Downing Street, Whitehall, Arthur James Balfour to W Dowson: "... I fear it would not be possible for me to sign a memorial addressed to a colleague."

Letter (holograph, 19 February, 1900), The Charterhouse, London, Chune Fletcher to Mr [Collett] Smith.

Letter (carbon copy, 19 February, 1900), 38 Berkeley Square, [London]: "Lord Rosebery presents his compliments to Mr Dowson, and regrets to say that it is not possible for him to interfere in the matter to which Mr Dowson refers...."

Post Office Telegraph (franked 20 February, 1900): "Ward Cousins has signed petition inform Fletcher & Dowson / Burcome". (For "Burcome," read Burroughs Wellcome.)

Acknowledgement from Kenelm E Digby, Home Office, of "your Letter of the 22nd inst and enclosures". Dated 23 February, 1900.

Letter (signed, 23 February, 1900), WPRL, Brockwell Hall, Dowson to J Collett Smith (Snow Hill), forwarding "a copy of the petition signed by Dr Seaton, President of the Council of the Incorporated Society of Medical Officers of Health."

Letter (carbon copy, 24 February, 1900), [Burroughs Wellcome & Co] to E M Holmes, (President of the British Pharmaceutical Conference) requesting his signature to the petition "as President of the British Pharmaceutical Conference".

Letter (signed, 26 February, 1900), Presdales, Ware, Albert G Sandeman [Chairman, London Chamber of Commerce] to Burroughs Wellcome & Co, confirming a meeting with Collett Smith.

Letter (carbon copy, 2 March, 1900), Burroughs Wellcome & Co to Dowson. Refers to Collett Smith's meeting with Sandeman, and asks Dowson to arrange to see Lord Avebury. "We want to send in the third petition immediately, and are only waiting for Mr Victor Horsley, Dr Dawson Williams, Mr Sandeman, and Lord Avebury."

Letter (signed, 2 March, 1900), Snow Hill, Collett Smith to Dr Chune Fletcher, asking advice about approaching Lord Avebury for his petition signature.

Two letters from E M Holmes (both holograph, 1 and 3 March, 1900), Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, 17 Bloomsbury Square, advising that, following consultation, he is signing the petition as an individual: "I shall be ashamed to ask your Laboratory to do anything after this scurvy behaviour (as I think it)."

Letter (carbon copy, 9 March, 1900), [Burroughs Wellcome & Co] to Dr Dowson, requesting he call on Mr Victor Horsley. The "final petition can go in on Monday. By that time you will have Mr Victor Horsley's answer."

Brief letter (holograph, 11 March, 1900), Dr W Dowson to Burroughs Wellcome & Co, originally enclosing "a copy of Mr Wellcome's petition signed by Mr Victor Horsley."

Letter (carbon draft, 12 March, 1900), The Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratories, Brockwell Hall, to the Home Office, providing "a further number of signatures of eminent men in favour of the Petition of Mr H S Wellcome" - they are E M Holmes, Victor Horsley, J W Moore, Edward C Seaton, Thomas H Wakley, and Dawson Williams.

Two acknowledgements from Kenelm E Digby, Home Office, of letters and enclosures of 12 and 13 March. Acknowledgements dated 13 and 15 March, 1900.

Typed extract from "Speech made by Dr Church at the Fifty-ninth Annual Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, May 16th, 1900" - refers to recent action taken by the Pharmaceutical Society "in connection with the question of the standardisation of sera". Note attached requesting that [Dr Dowson] ask E M Holmes to clarify.

"Notes re petition to Home Office" (ts, 2 carbon copies, dated 20 July, 1900).

Letter (holograph, 21 July, 1900), 27 Miskin Road, Dartford, Francis H[illegible] to Henry Wellcome, offering comments as requested on unequal trading conditions with German industry.

"Substances prepared in the Chemical Section of the 'Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratories' awaiting physiological investigation" - holograph draft, dated 21 July, 1900, signed S N Pin[illegible]. This is a draft of Appendix B to "Petition considerations in greater detail" (see immediately below)

Petition considerations in greater detail, addressed to the Home Secretary. Ts carbon draft, with various corrections in ink [8 sheets] plus Appendix A ("On a Physiological Research Laboratory as a necessary adjunct to a Chemical Research Laboratory") [8 sheets], and Appendix B ("A list of substances prepared in the Chemical Section of the 'Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratories' awaiting physiological investigation") [6 sheets].

Notes by Dr Jowett (ts, carbon, date-stamped 23 July, 1900). "On a Physiological Research Laboratory as a necessary adjunct to a Chemical Research Laboratory". (See Appendix A immediately above.)

"To The Right Honorable Sir Matthew White Ridley, Bart., Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Home Office" (date stamped 23 July, 1900). Enlarging upon the Petition. Three copies (ts carbon).

Letter (holograph, 24 July, 1900), Paris, F B Power to Burroughs Wellcome & Co, replying to a (late in the day) request for assistance in drafting a "memorial for presentation to the Home Office".

Letter (carbon copy, 3 August, 1900), from Henry Cunynghame, Home Office, acknowledging receipt of letter of 30 July. The Secretary of State "is willing to allow you a reasonable time in which to supplement your application by further details and considerations."

Letter (carbon copy, 10 August, 1900) [Burroughs Wellcome & Co] to Dr Dowson (on holiday in Cornwall) informing him of the Home Office decision. "The pamphlet which you are writing with respect to the Physiological Laboratories will assist us very materially in this matter by gaining the interest and support of the medical profession generally." (See galley proofs below.)

"Translation of letter from Raffo Dalmazzo & Co" with original letter in Italian (Milan, 21 August, 1900). Refers to experiments on animals under Italian law. Five pamphlets sent from Italy.

Two galley proofs bearing the same title ("The Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratories") with differing text. Both Brockwell Hall, Herne Hill, and both dated October 1900. Probably drafted by Dowson (see above).

"The Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratories". A descriptive account, author and date not indicated [ts, 10 sheets].

1900

1 file

Copyright assigned to the Wellcome Trust