Henry Hill Hickman
Encyclopedia
Henry Hill Hickman was born to tenant farmer
s at Lady Halton, (near Bromfield
, just outside Ludlow
, Shropshire
). He was the seventh of thirteen children.
He began his medical training in Edinburgh aged 16 and was admitted as a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons
in London in 1820. After qualifying, he began his medical career in 1821, in Ludlow
and in early 1823 he began some rather gruesome animal experiments in anaesthesia. He would make the animal insensible, effectively via almost suffocating it with carbon dioxide
, then amputate a part of the animal to see whether the animal could feel pain
under this 'anaesthesia'. Later scientists used nitrous oxide
, ether
, and chloroform
to achieve similar effects.
While living in Shifnal
, on February 21, 1824, Hickman wrote up his work and sent it to Thomas Andrew Knight
of Downton Castle, near Ludlow
, one of the Presidents of the Royal Society
, perhaps intending that the information would reach Sir Humphry Davy. It is not known if Davy ever saw the pamphlet.
Hickman, disillusioned by the lack of response and wounded by an 1826 article in The Lancet titled 'Surgical Humbug' that ruthlessly criticised his work, turned to King Charles X of France
in April 1828. Despite the support of Napoleon's field surgeon, Baron Dominique-Jean Larrey, who had noticed that wounded soldiers felt no pain when numbed by cold, Hickman met a similar response in France
to that he had received in England
.
With success eluding him, he returned to England and set up a new practice, in Teme Street, at number 18, in Tenbury Wells
, Worcestershire
. These premises are now a restaurant. Hickman died aged 30, just a year later of TB
. Unappreciated at the time of his death, his work has since been positively reappraised and he is now recognised as one of the fathers of anaesthesia.
Tenbury Museum
has an exhibition of items linked to Henry Hill Hickman.
Hickman killed himself, in 1830, he did not die of Tb
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s at Lady Halton, (near Bromfield
Bromfield, Shropshire
Bromfield is a village and civil parish in Shropshire, England.According to the 2001 census it had a population of 306.-Location:Bromfield is located near the market town of Ludlow, two miles north of the town on the A49 road....
, just outside Ludlow
Ludlow
Ludlow is a market town in Shropshire, England close to the Welsh border and in the Welsh Marches. It lies within a bend of the River Teme, on its eastern bank, forming an area of and centred on a small hill. Atop this hill is the site of Ludlow Castle and the market place...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
). He was the seventh of thirteen children.
He began his medical training in Edinburgh aged 16 and was admitted as a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
in London in 1820. After qualifying, he began his medical career in 1821, in Ludlow
Ludlow
Ludlow is a market town in Shropshire, England close to the Welsh border and in the Welsh Marches. It lies within a bend of the River Teme, on its eastern bank, forming an area of and centred on a small hill. Atop this hill is the site of Ludlow Castle and the market place...
and in early 1823 he began some rather gruesome animal experiments in anaesthesia. He would make the animal insensible, effectively via almost suffocating it with carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
, then amputate a part of the animal to see whether the animal could feel pain
Pain
Pain is an unpleasant sensation often caused by intense or damaging stimuli such as stubbing a toe, burning a finger, putting iodine on a cut, and bumping the "funny bone."...
under this 'anaesthesia'. Later scientists used nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas or sweet air, is a chemical compound with the formula . It is an oxide of nitrogen. At room temperature, it is a colorless non-flammable gas, with a slightly sweet odor and taste. It is used in surgery and dentistry for its anesthetic and analgesic...
, ether
Ether
Ethers are a class of organic compounds that contain an ether group — an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl or aryl groups — of general formula R–O–R'. A typical example is the solvent and anesthetic diethyl ether, commonly referred to simply as "ether"...
, and chloroform
Chloroform
Chloroform is an organic compound with formula CHCl3. It is one of the four chloromethanes. The colorless, sweet-smelling, dense liquid is a trihalomethane, and is considered somewhat hazardous...
to achieve similar effects.
While living in Shifnal
Shifnal
Shifnal is a small market town in Shropshire, England. It forms part of The Wrekin constituency, and is about east of Telford. It has a railway station on the Shrewsbury-Wolverhampton Line and is near to the M54 motorway.-Early medieval time:...
, on February 21, 1824, Hickman wrote up his work and sent it to Thomas Andrew Knight
Thomas Andrew Knight
Thomas Andrew Knight, FRS was a horticulturalist and botanist who lived at Downton Castle, Herefordshire. He was the brother of Richard Payne Knight....
of Downton Castle, near Ludlow
Ludlow
Ludlow is a market town in Shropshire, England close to the Welsh border and in the Welsh Marches. It lies within a bend of the River Teme, on its eastern bank, forming an area of and centred on a small hill. Atop this hill is the site of Ludlow Castle and the market place...
, one of the Presidents of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, perhaps intending that the information would reach Sir Humphry Davy. It is not known if Davy ever saw the pamphlet.
Hickman, disillusioned by the lack of response and wounded by an 1826 article in The Lancet titled 'Surgical Humbug' that ruthlessly criticised his work, turned to King Charles X of France
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
in April 1828. Despite the support of Napoleon's field surgeon, Baron Dominique-Jean Larrey, who had noticed that wounded soldiers felt no pain when numbed by cold, Hickman met a similar response in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to that he had received in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
With success eluding him, he returned to England and set up a new practice, in Teme Street, at number 18, in Tenbury Wells
Tenbury Wells
Tenbury Wells is a market town and civil parish in the north-western extremity of the Malvern Hills District administrative area of Worcestershire, England. The 2001 census reported a population of 3,316.-Geography:...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
. These premises are now a restaurant. Hickman died aged 30, just a year later of TB
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. Unappreciated at the time of his death, his work has since been positively reappraised and he is now recognised as one of the fathers of anaesthesia.
Tenbury Museum
Tenbury Museum
Tenbury Museum is a museum in the market town of Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire. It holds a collection of local and social history objects, plus copies of the Tenbury Advertiser newspaper dating back to 1871....
has an exhibition of items linked to Henry Hill Hickman.
Footnotes
Hickman killed himself, in 1830, he did not die of Tb