“Gentlemen, I have great pleasure in presenting to the Warneford Hospital, for the use of the Medical Officers of the Institution for the time being, Quain and Wilson’s Coloured Anatomical Plates in Two Volumes Folio…”
We’re thrilled to finally unveil a display of remarkable, historic anatomy textbooks and hospital artefacts in the Education Centre at Warwick Hospital, which offer a fascinating glimpse into the history of healthcare and medical education in Warwickshire as far back as the mid-19th century.
The centrepiece of the mini exhibition, a hefty two-volume set of ‘Quain and Wilson’s Coloured Anatomical Plates’, was donated to the Warneford Hospital, Leamington in 1848. These unique tomes, hidden away for two decades, have been carefully preserved and are now on display for the first time since the library’s relocation from the John Turner Building in 2006. The books feature a large number of exquisitely intricate coloured plate illustrations of human anatomy, showcasing the artistry and detail that accompanied 19th-century medical research and education. Fascinatingly, there are specific instructions for the books to be consulted only during daylight hours – a necessary precaution from an era when candlelight and oil lamps posed ever-present fire risks.
Displayed alongside the books are a snuffbox and an ornate key, both of which come with their own intriguing stories. The snuffbox appears to have a connection to two eminent physicians: Henry Jephson, in whose honour Jephson Gardens in Leamington are named; and Thomas William Thursfield, who had a long association with the Warneford Hospital and, for a period, served as Mayor of Leamington.
The key was “presented to Lady Kenilworth on the opening of the new Maternity Clinic” in June 1939. This would have been the Cay Block, named after Annie Cay, an influential local philanthropist. Many local residents would be born here through the Second World War and right up to its eventual closure in 1992.
We would love to find out more about these unique treasures and aim to add more information and photographs to the display shortly. If colleagues and friends have any insights of their own to share, we would love to hear from you. We’re particularly interested to hear experiences of those who might have been born in the Cay Block at the Warneford, or who might be able to shed any light on the mysterious Reverend William Hopkins, who donated the textbooks.
Of course, we should emphasise that we also have many more up-to-date books, including ebooks, for healthcare professionals and students, as well as non-clinical colleagues!