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The bulk of this collection consists of a series of index cards, 1905-1946, containing the details of nearly 7000 pathological investigations performed by Sir Bernard Spilsbury. These represent an unknown proportion of the vast number of autopsies and other investigations performed by Spilsbury during the course of his career. They do not include many of his most famous cases as witness for the Crown in cases of murder or manslaughter, some of which are held in other repositories. Further details can be found in the section-level description of PP/SPI/A

The accession to the collection of a small selection of Spilsbury's "little black books" from the latter years of his career (1941-1947) confirms the supposition that the cases on the index cards were abstracted from the notebooks with a view to writing a textbook on forensic pathology (uncompleted at the time of his death), since some of these notes include inserted index cards with the heading (name, date, place of autopsy, cause of death) already written in but the more detailed notes not yet added. These notebooks form a significant addition to the understanding of Spilsbury's working methods since they were clearly more immediate records of his autopsies than the index cards. It is possible, given the fire damage to these volumes and to other items in this accession, that they are the survivors of a much longer sequence which did not survive.

Their provenance is unclear. It seems probable, however, that they were at some point in the possession of one or other of Douglas G. Browne and E.V. Tullett, authors of the first biography of Spilsbury, <a href="https://wellcomecollection.org/works/ed9cbssv" rel="nofollow">Bernard Spilsbury : his life and cases</a> (1951), as among the other papers in this accession a publisher's report on possible legal issues with the text of this work was found (PP/SPI/E.4) along with some general biographical notes.

In addition to the notebooks, the new accession includes some material on various issues in which Spilsbury was professionally interested, including several files on causes of poisoning, a few of his lectures and other writings, a little personalia and correspondence, and publications by other hands, presumably used for reference by Spilsbury

Spilsbury, Sir Bernard (1877-1947), Forensic Pathologist

A series of recordings of heart sounds including: congenital heart block in an child showing the characteristic third heart sound; aortic stenosis; pulmonary hypertension; atrial septal defect; pericardial rub following on from a coronary thrombosis and atrial fibrillation. The presenter discusses different kinds of microphone that can be used to hear heart sounds clearly.

Reference heart sounds. Part one.

Three short interviews from clinicians discussing various medical subjects. Please note that timings are approximate.

Auditorium.

Auditorium

1 encoded audio file (28:30 min.) : 44.1kHz.

Auditorium : an audio medical magazine for hospital doctors. Vol.3. no.1 Side 1.

Re association of blood diseases (leukaemia, haemorrhagic diathesis etc) with congenital aortic stenosis, congenital hypoplasia of the aorta, etc; see notes and cuttings somewhat late in this volume (FPW 18 June 1927). Includes also cuttings etc bearing on the question of intrauterine endocarditis due to rheumatism or septic origin, syphilis etc. Congenital malformation of cardiac valves may be due to intrauterine endocarditis of rheumatic or septic or syphilitic origin. Also on congenital syphilis of the heart (on relation of congenital heart disease and inherited syphilis see also my volume on 'Congenital cyanosis etc; 1906). For syphilitic myocardial disease (inherited syphilis) in children see also my collection on 'Syphilis, atheroma and lardaceous disease' 1895-1896 (including cases of sudden death and rupture of the heart in children). For notes and cuttings on congenital stenosis of the aortic isthmus (aortic coarctation) see also my collection on 'Congenital Heart disease (right side) etc' which contacts a reprint of a paper by F P Weber and F W Price. Congenital 'bicuspid type' of aortic or pulmonary valve

Subject Collections (medical)

Heart Disease, Congenital

Congenital Heart Disease (Left Side) 1899

Density-dependent colour scanning electron micrograph of the surface of human heart (aortic valve) tissue displaying calcification in the form of spherical particles. The orange colour identifies denser material (calcified material composed of calcium phosphate), while structures that appear in green are less dense (corresponding to the organic component of the tissue). Micrographs were coloured in post-processing by combining images acquired by two modes of image acquisition that use different kinds of electron microscope detector (Secondary electron and Backscatter electron detectors). Horizontal field width is 64 microns

Human heart (aortic valve) tissue displaying  calcification

A short recording in which the presenter discusses the difficulties of obtaining accurate recordings of heart sounds. Very muffled recording.

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Spilsbury, Sir Bernard (1877-1947), Forensic Pathologist

Reference heart sounds. Part one.

Auditorium : an audio medical magazine for hospital doctors. Vol.3. no.1 Side 1.

Congenital Heart Disease (Left Side) 1899

Human heart (aortic valve) tissue displaying calcification

Reference heart sounds. Part two.

Percutaneous left ventricular puncture in the assessment of aortic stenosis / by Peter Fleming and Ronald Gibson.

Aortic stenosis : haemodynamic and clinical findings in 56 patients / by Per Fritz Hansen.

Heart Disease, Congenital

The mechanism of the pulsus bisferiens / Peter R. Fleming.

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Spilsbury, Sir Bernard (1877-1947), Forensic Pathologist

Reference heart sounds. Part one.

Auditorium : an audio medical magazine for hospital doctors. Vol.3. no.1 Side 1.

Congenital Heart Disease (Left Side) 1899

Human heart (aortic valve) tissue displaying calcification

Reference heart sounds. Part two.

Percutaneous left ventricular puncture in the assessment of aortic stenosis / by Peter Fleming and Ronald Gibson.

Aortic stenosis : haemodynamic and clinical findings in 56 patients / by Per Fritz Hansen.

Heart Disease, Congenital

The mechanism of the pulsus bisferiens / Peter R. Fleming.

Stay in the know

Wellcome collectionWellcome Collection

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Wellcome collection