PAGET (Sir James, 1814-1899, Surgeon, surgeon extraordinary to Queen Victoria)

Autograph Letter Signed to Dr. ALLCHIN (William Henry, 1846–1912, Physician and lecturer on comparative anatomy, physiology, pathology and medicine at Westminster Hospital) thanking him for an invitation and saying the the time "will be quite convenient to me ...", 1 side 8vo, 1 Harewood Place, Hanover Square, 8th May

Paget was an English surgeon and pathologist who is best remembered for Paget's disease and who is considered, together with Rudolf Virchow, as one of the founders of scientific medical pathology. Sir James's reputation remains high due to his work as a surgeon and medical research and work, but he also had an apparent interest in criminal matters. In 1886, he followed the Pimlico Mystery, the poisoning trial of Adelaide Bartlett for the murder of her husband Edwin. After a spirited defence by Sir Edward Clarke, Bartlett was acquitted. The key problem of the trial was that Edwin was poisoned by liquid chloroform, which was found in his stomach, but liquid chloroform burns the throat if swallowed, and the drinker would be screaming. Edwin Bartlett never screamed the night he died. As a result, an alternative theory of suicide was considered and helped get the acquittal, but it left the public unsatisfied. Paget, upon hearing the result, made the comment for which he is best remembered: "Now that she has been acquitted for murder and cannot be tried again, she should tell us in the interest of science how she did it!"

Item Date:  1874

Stock No:  39202      £65

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