Rare cancer of pancreas (leiomyosarcoma) in an 80-year old man, with emphysema, arteriosclerosis and diabetes: tumour mass from above and behind to show bile ducts, portal vein with protruding nodule in the latter. Watercolour by Barbara E. Nicholson, 1949.

Ashford, Middlesex, 1949.

1 painting : watercolour, with gouache ; sheet 25.1 x 29 cm

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.

Posterior superior view, slightly from left, splenic artery, portal vein, coeliac artery, hepatic artery, remains of pancreas, common bile duct, duodenum Lettering in black ink, published case notes state that weight of 3,750 g. and describe mass as firm, yellowish fibrous tissue Bears number: 158/1949

Wellcome Collection 33337i

C. F. Ross "Leiomysarcoma of the pancreas", British journal of surgery, 1951, volume 29, pages 53-56. The case notes were used by permission of Dr Kenneth David Keele, 1909- , who co-authored "Intra abdominal crises", London, Butterworths, 1961 with Norman Matheson. This case study was discussed by C F Ross whilst surgeon at Ashford hospital, Middlesex

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.

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.