BIGELOW, Henry Jacob (1818-1890) - photo 1
BIGELOW, Henry Jacob (1818-1890) - photo 2
BIGELOW, Henry Jacob (1818-1890) - photo 3
BIGELOW, Henry Jacob (1818-1890) - photo 4

BIGELOW, Henry Jacob (1818-1890)

Lot 198
10.12.2025 12:00UTC +00:00
Classic
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CHRISTIE'S
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 1514423
Lot 198 | BIGELOW, Henry Jacob (1818-1890)
Estimate value
£ 3 000 – 4 000
BIGELOW, Henry Jacob (1818-1890)
‘Insensibility during surgical operations produced by inhalation.’ In: The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal Vol. 35, No.16, Wednesday 18 November, 1846, pp. 309-317. Boston: David Clapp, 1846.
Sir William Osler’s copy of the first appearance of the discovery of surgical anaesthesia, presented to him by the son of Dr Morton of Boston, who had first demonstrated its potential. A superb association copy of ‘the most significant contribution to medicine made in the United States during the 19th century’ (Norman).

W.T.G. Morton, a dentist, realized the anaesthetic properties of sulfuric ether in 1846, and began using it in his practice. Bigelow, for almost 40 years the dominant figure in New England surgery, had probably arranged the demonstration operations that took place at Massachusetts General Hospital on 16th and 17th of October that year, when John Collins Warren removed a benign angioma from under the jaw of a patient using Morton’s anaesthetic process. Warren and Morton were at first reluctant to disclose the exact preparation used, as they wished to patent the process, but Bigelow effectively forced them to share their discovery by his immediate announcement of the achievement to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences on 3 November, and by the present detailed article published the same month. Cushing B380; Garrison-Morton 5651; Grolier Medicine 64A; Heirs of Hippocrates 1859; Osler 1355; Wellcome II, p. 166; Norman 232.

Octavo (242 x 149mm). (Some faint spots, upper wrapper with minor soiling.) Later card covers preserving original printed self-wrappers; custom cloth slipcase. Provenance: William James Morton (American physician and son of the discoverer of surgical anaesthesia, 1845-1920; by whom gifted to:) – Sir William Osler (physician, medical writer, bibliographer and collector, 1849-1919; notes and quotations on blank endpaper signed ‘W.O’, inscription recording receipt from Morton and gift to the Royal Society of Medicine, dated 2 April 1918) – Royal Society of Medicine (label recording gift from Osler dated 2 April 1918, ink stamps on title, endpaper, and slipcase dated 3 April 1918).
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