Thomas Cooke's School of Anatomy

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Some mildly unsettling advertisements for "London's last private medical school."

Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, Volume 84, November 1991, Page 682

London's Last Private Medical School
by L T Morton FLA


Links to the ads attached below:

British Medical Journal, October 26, 1878, Page 180

Students' Journal and Hospital Gazette, October 9, 1880, Page 256

[TradeName]

The London Medical Record, October 15, 1875,
Page 603

A New School Of Anatomy.—We are informed that Mr. Thomas Cooke, senior assistant surgeon to Westminster Hospital, widely known as the author of the useful Tablets of Anatomy, has opened a private school of anatomy. The school has been duly licensed for dissections, and Mr. Cooke's ability as a teacher of anatomy will, doubtless, be found of the greatest utility to those students who desire to supplement the anatomical knowledge they are required to obtain at the recognised medical schools.

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Medical Times and Gazette, January 20, 1877, Page 70

A somewhat singular grievance was propounded at the Guildhall Police-court last week. Mrs. Benbow, living at 32, New Bridge-street, applied for assistance in the following case:—No. 31, she stated, was a private school of anatomy; there had been a body there for two months, and the stench from it was unbearable. Some boards had been put up, as was said, to keep away the smell from the adjoining houses, but without effect. The magistrate referred her to the Commissioners of Sewers. Mrs. Benbow said, at her request, the sanitary authorities had been to inspect the place, but as it was licensed by the Home Office as a school of anatomy they could not interfere. The magistrate suggested an application to the Medical Officer of Health. Mrs. Benbow said she had been to Dr. Saunders, who, however, stated that he was powerless to act, as the place was duly licensed. Besides the body she had referred to, there were the carcases of a large baboon and of a rabbit, all emitting a most offensive smell. The magistrate said he would send an officer to see the premises, and if necessary he would himself communicate with the Medical Officer of Health. If Dr. Saunders certified that it was a nuisance and detrimental to health, he would then see if he could not give her a remedy.


January 27, 1877, Page 94

The further hearing of the summons against Mr. Cooke for keeping a school of anatomy in New Bridge-street, Blackfriars, in such a manner as to be a nuisance to the neighbourhood, came on at the Guildhall Police-court on Saturday last. At the commencement of the proceedings Mr. Cooke announced, through his counsel, his intention of removing the School, if the Court should decide against him, without appealing against the magistrate's decision. After hearing evidence, Sir Thomas Gabriel decided that the School was a nuisance, and must be removed, and he should issue a prohibitory notice against its recurrence. At the same time Sir Thomas complimented Mr. Cooke upon the manner in which he had met the complaint: he had a perfect right to go to these premises, because he had a licence to do so; but, as the School was proved to be a nuisance, Mr. Cooke stated that he would at once leave them, and nothing could be more honourable.

Pages 103-104

PRIVATE SCHOOL OF ANATOMY.
Letter From Mr. Thomas Cooke.

[To the Editor of the Medical Times and Gazette.] Sra,—Would you kindly do me the favour of inserting the following letter in your next issue (though it has already appeared in some of the daily papers), and further allow me to make two important quotations, and add two remarks :—

1. A nuisance was defined "anything annoying," "affecting the enjoyment of others," "offensive to the general idea of the public" (Mr. Besley,the counsel for the prosecution). "Offensive to the senses, but not necessarily detrimental to health" (Sir Thomas Gabriel, the magistrate).

2. My rooms were screened from the gaze of all except trespassers on my roof, the staircase of my floor loading to no other rooms but mine, and therefore strictly private; well ventilated by a " strong up-current," and " there was nothing to find fault with" (Dr. Sedgwick Saunders, Medical Officer of Health for the City of London).

3. By Sections 1, 12, 6, 3, and 2 of the Anatomy Act {2nd and 3rd William IV., chap. 75) the licence to practise anatomy is personal; the choice of the site rests with the licensee, who is simply to give one week's notice thereof to the Home Secretary; the "inspector of places where anatomy is carried on" is merely to " visit," "inspect," and "superintend" such places. No blame whatever attaches, therefore, to Mr. Hawkins with regard to the granting of the licence for New Bridge-street.

4. I believe myself justified, however, in feeling aggrieved that Mr. Hawkins did not come to see my premises as soon as dissatisfaction appeared to exist. A word from Mr. Hawkins would probably have dispelled the unenlightened prejudices by which I was assailed. Instead of that, Mr. Hawkins, without taking the trouble to acquire any personal knowledge of the facts, suddenly ordered me to remove a body (the only one I had) which was in a state of perfect preservation, and which he had previously authorised me to keep, if necessary, the full period of six months, instituted by order of Mr. Home Secretary Bruce.

This arbitrary decision appears to have caused the ruin of my school. It took out of my hands the only absolute proof I had that my school had been carefully conducted.

It, further, drove my friends to the stratagem of the empty coffin, about which you have doubtless heard. My friends thoroughly believed, as did also the City sanitary authorities, that all that the complainants had smelt was the smell of carbolic acid. And this turned out to be the case, since, on seeing an empty coffin brought in, and believing that there was a body in it, they again said "they perceived the same smell as before."

I beg, sir, on account of the painful and most serious circumstances in which I had been placed, to crave indulgence for anything that was objectionable in this empty-coffin-stratagem, and also, for the future, to solicit the protection which would, I believe, certainly result from more frequent visits of the Government inspector. I am, &c,

School of Anatomy, &c. Thomas Cooke, F.R.C.S.

Sir,—After the concluding remark of Sir Thomas Gabriel upon my case, that "nothing could be more honourable than the high and public spirit in which I had treated the matter," it is doubly painful to me to recall attention to the "atrocious trick" on which the magistrate commented so severely. A misstatement of Sir Thomas, highly prejudicial to me, having, however, found its way into the public press, I trust you will allow me to correct it through the medium of your columns. Sir Thomas stated in summing up "that the nuisance had been abated since Saturday, January 13, and that the witnesses had not complained of it since, oven though they were led to believe that a body was in the house. Nothing," added Sir Thomas," could be more conclusive evidence of a nuisance." The facts are as follows :—At the first sitting, on Monday, January 15, Mrs. Benbow stated that she saw the body removed on Saturday night, January 13, and that since then (that is, till Monday, January 15) no further smell had been perceived. At the adjourned sitting on the following Saturday, January 20, Mr. Benbow stated that another body had been brought in on Thursday, January 18, at 2 a.m., and that since then on coming near the skylight he had smelt the same smell as before. This smell, he added, was not quite so strong then, but would, he expected, be quite as strong in about two or three weeks' time. Now, sir, what was brought in on Thursday, January 18, at 2 a.m., was an empty coffin profusely sprinkled over with carbolic acid. I make but one remark: The circumstances connected with the smell—i.e., its occurrence, its cessation, its recurrence, and even its varying intensity—accurately coincided, not with facts, but with the idea present in Mr. and Mrs. Benbow's minds. This bears out the belief of the sanitary authorities, that what was smelt all the time was the carbolic acid only. Since I promised to do so, I must abide by the magistrate's decision, and remove my school, even at a loss of perhaps £500 or more; but I do ask, in all justice, that a false inference, based on a lapsus lingua, be not allowed to circulate, backed by the high authority of Sir Thomas, without being corrected. The Medical Officer of Health of the City of London—the only truly scientific witness called in the case—stated that he put his nose within an inch of the body, and remained half an hour in my rooms, yet neither perceived any smell, except that of pure carbolic acid, nor saw anything to find fault with ; and reported the same to the sanitary authorities. He added that precautions were taken in my school with more care than in the rooms at hospitals. The testimony of the inspector of nuisances was to the same effect. I am, &c.,

Thomas Cooke, F.K.C.S.,
Senior Assistant-Surgeon to the Westminster Hospital.

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[TradeName]

The Medical Press, September 20, 1882, Page 237

Cooke's School Of Anatomy And Physiology—This is established for private tuition, and is situate close to University College, its principal being Mr. Thomas Cooke,F.R.C.S., Senior Assistant-Surgeon to the Westminster Hospital, whose private address is at 16 Woburn Place. The whole of the anatomy (on the dissected body), of physiology (with microscopical preparations, and such experiments as the law permits), and operative surgery (on the dead body), are gone through carefully every three months. Fees. —Three months, 3 guineas; six months, 4 guineas; for the higher examinations, with special supplementary class, 5 guineas. There is a well-appointed dissecting-room near the school.

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British Journal of Dental Science, September 15, 1883, Page 890

PRIVATE SCHOOL OF ANATOMY, PHYSIOLOGY, AND SURGERY.

Demonstrations and lectures by Mr. Thomas Cooke, F.R.C.S., senior assistant surgeon to the Westminster Hospital. This school of anatomy, physiology, and surgery meets the requirements of two distinct classes of students, i.e.— 1. Advanced students and qualified practitioners, who may wish either to extend their knowledge of tie foregoing subjects, or to recall to mind what they once knew and have since forgotten; 2. Beginners entering upon their medical duties by a short term of apprenticeship with a general practitioner. For the former, rapid advanc ed classes, complete in three months, but still thoroughly practical, are provided; and for the latter, more elementary classes of six months' duration, also thoroughly practical.

The operations of surgery are all performed on the dead body by the students.

The dissecting-room is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The demonstrators attend four hours daily.

Fees.—Anatomy and physiology: For primary membership examination of royal college of surgeons, three months, £4 4s.; six months, £5 5s. For primary fellowship examination (with comparative anatomy), six months, £5 6s. Surgery: For second membership examination of royal college of surgeons, three months, £5 5s.; six months, £8 8s.; for second fellowship examination, six months, £8 8s. (See Advertisement.)

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Medical Record (New York), March 13, 1886, Page 319

A serious accident has befallen Mr. Thomas Cooke at his private school of anatomy. A destructive fire has occurred and utterly destroyed a large number of valuable anatomical preparations representing many years of patient toil. Mr. Cooke's school of anatomy is a modern representative of what was common enough in former days, viz., a private medical school. It is the only representative of such an institution that we have in London, though " Minto House" is a somewhat similar one in Edinburgh.

Since facilities for dissection have been afforded by the passing of the Anatomy Act, dissection has been almost exclusively confined to the dissecting-rooms of the recognized medical schools. Mr. Cooke established his present school—which, by the way, is fully licensed—about fourteen years ago, and has continued to teach practical anatomy, physiology, operative surgery (on the dead body), and other branches of medical science ever since, with popularity and success. His course on operative surgery has received official recognition from the University of London. Many students and practitioners who owe some measure of their success in their examinational career to a course at "Cooke's" will regret to hear of the misfortune which has overtaken their former teacher.

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British Journal of Dental Science, September 15, 1888, Page 866

PRIVATE SCHOOL OF ANATOMY, PHYSIOLOGY AND SURGERY.

And also professional subjects, including Chemistry, Physics,
Materia Medica, Botany and Pharmacy; Medicine
Obstetrics, Diseases of Women and Children;
Comparative Anatomy, Embryology, etc.

Demonstrations and Lectures by Mr. Thomas Cooke, F.R.C.S., senior Assistant Surgeon to the Westminster Hospital, and other Masters.

By decision of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, gentlemen rejected at their Anatomical and Physiological Examinations (Primary R.C.S. or Second Conjoint) can get "signed up" from this School for the three or six month's work they are now required to put in before re-examination.

The school meets the requirements of two classes of students, namely :—

I. Students preparing for the usual Primary and Pass Examinations of the several licensing bodies.

II. Qualified Practitioners and advanced Students, i.e., gentleman wishing either to obtain some of the Higher Qualifications, or to compete for Appointments in Her Majesty's

Army, Navy, and Indian Medical Services. For these special Classes are provided. (See separate Prospectus.)

The instruction is given on the dissected and undissected body, with normal and pathological specimens, microscopical preparations, chemical, physiological, and surgical apparatus, splints, &c. The operations of Surgery are performed on the dead body. Arrangements can be made for the attendance on midwifery cases, and for practical work in the dispensary.

The school possesses a good collection of physiological apparatus, allowing of the demonstration to the class of the great bulk of the Practical Exercises in Physiology by Professors Burden-Sanderson, Fosters and Langley, and other authors; also chemical apparatus, allowing every student, not only to see, but to repeat for himself, the analysis of the principal food-stuffs, and fluids and solids of the body, and also all the usual reactions, tests, &c. Gentlemen preparing for the Higher Examinations (M.B., Lond., Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons) receive special instruction in the more difficult subjects, and have the advantage of personally repeating (with certain restrictions as to the careful use of the physiological apparatus) the practical exercises in Physiology by Professors Burden-Sanderson, Fosters and Langley, &c, above alluded to.

A Chemical Laboratory has been provided; and the necessary collections for the practical teaching of Chemistry, Materia Medica, and Pharmacy have been placed in the hands of an experienced teacher of these subjects.

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The London Medical Recorder, November 20, 1890, Page 451

In future the certificates of instruction in operative surgery, physiology, &c, delivered by Mr. Thomas Cooke, of the Private School of Anatomy, will be accepted by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Nominatives of London and Cambridge, the War Office, &c, as evidence of training.

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[TradeName]

The Lancet, February 18, 1899, Page 482

Obituary

Thomas Cooke, F.R.C.S.Eng., M.D. Paris



New York Medical Journal, March 4, 1899, Page 309

The Death of Mr. Thomas Cooke, F. R. C. S.—In the sudden death of Mr. Thomas Cooke, F. R. C. S., which is announced from London, a distinguished feature has passed from the teaching world of medicine in London. Mr. Cooke in 1870 founded a private school known as the London School of Anatomy and Physiology, and many American physicians who have put in a little time in London will remember it and the genial personality of its founder and teacher. He met with great opposition for a long while, but so persevering, so conscientious, and so excellent was his work as an anatomist of the old school that the London School of Anatomy subsequently was empowered to sign up the necessary attendance of medical students on the anatomical course required by several qualifying bodies, in place of the regular anatomical schools belonging to the various medical colleges. He was endeared to all his pupils and respected by every one who knew him, and his loss will be widely mourned in all parts of the world; for his school was a rendezvous for foreign and provincial practitioners who, having time to spend in London, availed themselves of the opportunity to brush up their anatomy by actual practical work under his shrewd and insistent direction, or to take out a practical course of operative surgery on the cadaver.

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British Medical Journal, April 22, 1899, Page 976

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND. A Quarterly Council was held on April 13th, 1899, Sir William MacCormac, Bart., K.C.V.O., President, in the Chair.

[...]

Committee Of Management.
The Committee reported upon the following subjects:

[...]

3. Cooke's School of Anatomy.—In consequence of the death of Mr. Thomas Cooke, an application had been received from Mrs. Cooke asking that the recognition of the school might be continued on the understanding that the system of instruction in anatomy and physiology and operative surgery was continued on the same lines by a staff of teachers, two of whom had been with the late Mr. Thos. Cooke for several years, and by Mr. F. G. Hamilton Cooke, the son of the late Mr. Thomas Cooke. As the school was recognised in January, the Committee proposed to continue the recognition for the current year.

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Tablets of Anatomy and Physiology (London: Longmans, 1878, 2nd ed), link
by Thomas Cooke

[TradeName]

A few more references

Medical Times and Gazette, April 1, 1871, Page 383

Marriages

Cooke—Manin.—On March 22, at the French Protestant Church of Edward VI., St. Martin's-le-grand, Thomas Cooke, M.D. Paris, M.R CS. Lond., only son of John Hawley Cooke, Esq., of Shrewsbury, to La Comtesse Aglae Helene Edme De Hamel De Manin, daughter of the late Jean Francois Comte de Hamel de Manin.

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The Medical Press and Circular, June 14, 1871, Page 521

Royal College of Surgeons.—The following members of the College having undergone the necessary examinations for the fellowship, on the 25th, 26th, and 27th ult., were admitted Fellows of the College on May 8th, viz. :— [...] and Thomas Cooke, M.D. Paris, 1871, of the Paris Hospitals. [...]

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The Medical Press and Circular, September 17, 1873, Page 269

MEDICAL TUTORS IN LONDON

Mr. Thomas Cooke, F.R.C.S., has classes of Anatomy and Physiology for the first M.B., the Primary M.R.C.S. and F.R.C.S. Exams., at his residence.

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British Medical Journal, February 18, 1899, Pages 444-445

Obituary

THOMAS COOKE, F.R.C.S.ENG., M.D. AND B.SC.PARIS.

[The Grave Maurice]

Fascinating stuff, TN. I wasn't aware that such schools existed. Thanks.

[TradeName]

Thanks, TGM.

Here's a bit from 1880:

The Student's Journal and Hospital Gazette, July 31, 1880, Page 183

Mr. Cooke's School.—The "Dissecting-room Scandal," says the Echo, was the subject of further discussion at a meeting of the sanitary authorities at St. Pancras on Saturday. The "scandal" has been caused by the erection of an iron building in the disused burial ground of St. George-the-Martyr, used as a dissecting school by Mr. Thomas Cooke, M.D., for the purpose of anatomical instruction. Many stories were told of bad smells, of bodies taken into the school without lids, of the burning of portions of bodies, and so forth. The Home Office had been appealed to, and Mr. Hawkins, of that Government department, told the meeting on Saturday that some of the statements oould not be borne out by facts, while others of the current stories were declared to be simply false. Dr. Cooke suggested that the smells complained of might arise from the carcases of cats, fowls, and other things thrown into the ground by the inhabitants of Wellington-square. The school was conducted in the interests of science, and he would conform to the wishes of the Medical Officer of health. The ultimate result was that the sanitary authorities present declared themselves satisfied from the explanations given that there was no sanitary nuisance from the dissecting school in question. If further complaints be made they will be forwarded to the Home Office.

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[lynn cates]

good job

Hello TN. Great research. Very interesting.

Cheers.
LC

[TradeName]

Millikin & Lawley

Thanks, LC.

While researching Cooke, I noticed some advertisements for Millikin & Lawley, a firm that sold second-hand skeletons and surgical instruments and hired out magic lanterns and entertainers such as conjurors, ventriloquists and trained animals.

An ad with an offensive word suggesting M&L supplied items to minstrel shows:

The Lancet, January 30, 1886, Page 34, Column 2

Column 2 is filled with small ads:

English Mechanics and the World of Science, September 5, 1873, Page 676


Links for attached ads:

British Medical Journal, January 3, 1885, Page xxv

The Lancet, October 23, 1869, Page 21

[TradeName]

Thomas Bond and Cooke

The Bond mentioned in Cooke's Lancet obituary as a surgeon promoted over Cooke at Westminster Hospital in 1893 was Thomas Bond, the Metropolitan Police surgeon.

The Lancet, February 18, 1899, Page 482

Obituary

Thomas Cooke, F.R.C.S.Eng., M.D. Paris


[...] In 1871. Mr. Cooke took the F.R.C.S. Eng. and in the same year was elected assistant surgeon at the Westminster Hospital, to fill the vacancy caused by an assistant surgeon becoming surgeon. After two more vacancies in the post of surgeon had been filled up Mr. Cooke became senior assistant surgeon. A vacancy for a surgeon occurring in 1875 Mr. Cooke became a candidate but Mr. Macnamara who had been a student of King's College and had recently returned from 20 years' service in India was appointed upon claims which were in many directions stronger. Mr. Cooke had acted as demonstrator of anatomy and when a vacancy occurred in the lectureship of anatomy in the Medical School Mr. Cooke became a candidate, but for reasons into which it would serve no purpose to enter now he was not elected. Mr. Cooke declared, and, quite rightly, many years afterwards that the refusal to recognise his just claims compelled him to rely upon his own exertions and to develop his own private school, with which his name is so widely and favourably associated. There was no further vacancy for a surgeon until 1893, when Mr. Bond who was two years junior to Mr. Cooke was appointed, the latter not becoming a candidate; he never applied for any subsequent vacancy. Having served more than seven years Mr. Cooke became surgeon to out-patients. In 1887 an extra assistant surgeon was appointed to see out-patients on Mr. Cooke's days and some years later Mr. Cooke was by special resolution "relieved of all care of in-patients and out-patients." His name continued to appear on the list of the staff without any stated time for attendance.

[...]

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The Lancet, June 14, 1873, Page 858

Mr. Thomas Bond, F.R.C.S., and Gold Medalist in Surgery at the B.S. examination in 1866, has been elected Assistant-surgeon to the Westminster Hospital, in the vacancy caused by Mr. Barnard Holt s retirement.

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The Westminster Hospital Reports (London: Churchill, 1896), Volume 9, Page 385
by Westminster Hospital

DEAN'S REPORT.

The Winter Session of 1893-94 was opened with an Introductory Lecture by Dr. Hebb. The chair was taken and the Prizes distributed by the Rev. Alfred Jones.

The following appointments and changes have occurred during the past year:—

[...]

Mr. Bond, Surgeon to the Hospital, vice Mr. Davy, who retired after 23 years' service.

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Medical Press and Circular, Volume 119, July 5, 1899, Page 19

After a long term of service Mr. Thomas Bond, M.B., F.R.C.S., has severed his connection with the Westminster Hospital. His connection as surgeon with that Institution has lasted from l873 to 1899. As a lecturer on medical jurisprudence he has obtained a wide-world reputation at the Westminster School. Mr. A. H. Tubby, M.S., F.R.C.S., has resigned his post of assistant-surgeon, according to a rule of the hospital, with a view of candidature for the vacancy left by Mr. Bond's resignation.

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Casebook page on Bond and the Times' obituary.

And an ad giving the days and times for the lectures at Cooke's school:

The Medical Directory for 1884 (London: Churchill), Page 1493