Papers of Frederick Treves
TitlePapers of Frederick Treves
ReferenceMS0029
Level of descriptionfonds
Date1896-[1963]
Admin./ biographical historyTreves was born, Dorchester, Dorset, 15 February 1853. He married Anne Mason in 1877 and they had two daughters. He died in Lausanne, 7 December 1923.
He was educated at the school of William Barnes, the poet, 1860-1863, and went to Merchant Taylor's School, City of London, 1864-1871. He was then a medical student at London Hospital, 1871-1875. He was House Surgeon at London Hospital before becoming Resident Medical Officer at the Royal National Hospital for Scrofula in Margate, 1876. He went into private practice in Derbyshire, 1877-1879 before returning to the London Hospital as Assistant Surgeon in 1879 and Demonstrator of Anatomy, London Hospital Medical School, 1881-1884. Treves continued his research into scrofula and began his researches on the anatomy of the abdomen while Surgeon and Lecturer on Anatomy, London Hospital, 1884-1898, and Lecturer on Surgery, London Hospital Medical School, 1894-1897. Treves was Consulting Surgeon to the British Forces in South Africa, 1899-1900; Surgeon Extraordinary, 1900.
He was knighted in 1901 and created baronet, 1902. He successfully operated on an abcess on the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, two days before his coronation was due to be held in June 1902. During the First World War he served as President of the War Office Medical Board, 1914-1918. He then went to live in France and Switzerland.
He became a Member, 1875, and then a Fellow, of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 1875. He was Hunterian Professor of Anatomy, 1885
Publications include: The Dress of the period, in its relations to health (Allman & Son, London, [1882]); Scrofula and its gland diseases (Smith, Elder & Co, London, 1882); Surgical Applied Anatomy (1883); Intestinal Obstructions (1884); The anatomy of the intestinal canal and peritoneum in man (H K Lewis, London, 1885); The Influence of Dress on health (Cassell & Co, London, [1886]); A German-English Dictionary of Medical Terms with Hugo Lang (J & A Churchill, London, 1890); A Manual of Operative Surgery (Cassell & Co, London, 1891); The Student's Handbook of Surgical Operations (Cassell & Co, London, 1892); The Abdominal Viscera (1893); A System of Surgery Editor 2 vol (Cassell & Co, London, 1895, 96); Perityphlitis and its varieties (Macmillan & Co, London, 1897); Intestinal Obstruction. Its varieties with their pathology, diagnosis, and treatment New and revised edition (Cassell & Co, London, 1899); The Tale of a Field Hospital [following the Ladysmith Relif Column in the South African War] (Cassell and Co, London, 1900); Alcohol: a poison (Church of England Temperance Society, Westminster, [1905]); Highways and Byways in Dorset (Macmillan & Co, London, 1906); The Cradle of the Deep: an account of a voyage to the West Indies (Smith, Elder & Co, London, 1908); The Influence of Enforced Dogmatism in Medicine [Birmingham, 1914]; The Elephant Man, and other reminiscences (Cassell & Co, London, 1923).
He was educated at the school of William Barnes, the poet, 1860-1863, and went to Merchant Taylor's School, City of London, 1864-1871. He was then a medical student at London Hospital, 1871-1875. He was House Surgeon at London Hospital before becoming Resident Medical Officer at the Royal National Hospital for Scrofula in Margate, 1876. He went into private practice in Derbyshire, 1877-1879 before returning to the London Hospital as Assistant Surgeon in 1879 and Demonstrator of Anatomy, London Hospital Medical School, 1881-1884. Treves continued his research into scrofula and began his researches on the anatomy of the abdomen while Surgeon and Lecturer on Anatomy, London Hospital, 1884-1898, and Lecturer on Surgery, London Hospital Medical School, 1894-1897. Treves was Consulting Surgeon to the British Forces in South Africa, 1899-1900; Surgeon Extraordinary, 1900.
He was knighted in 1901 and created baronet, 1902. He successfully operated on an abcess on the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, two days before his coronation was due to be held in June 1902. During the First World War he served as President of the War Office Medical Board, 1914-1918. He then went to live in France and Switzerland.
He became a Member, 1875, and then a Fellow, of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 1875. He was Hunterian Professor of Anatomy, 1885
Publications include: The Dress of the period, in its relations to health (Allman & Son, London, [1882]); Scrofula and its gland diseases (Smith, Elder & Co, London, 1882); Surgical Applied Anatomy (1883); Intestinal Obstructions (1884); The anatomy of the intestinal canal and peritoneum in man (H K Lewis, London, 1885); The Influence of Dress on health (Cassell & Co, London, [1886]); A German-English Dictionary of Medical Terms with Hugo Lang (J & A Churchill, London, 1890); A Manual of Operative Surgery (Cassell & Co, London, 1891); The Student's Handbook of Surgical Operations (Cassell & Co, London, 1892); The Abdominal Viscera (1893); A System of Surgery Editor 2 vol (Cassell & Co, London, 1895, 96); Perityphlitis and its varieties (Macmillan & Co, London, 1897); Intestinal Obstruction. Its varieties with their pathology, diagnosis, and treatment New and revised edition (Cassell & Co, London, 1899); The Tale of a Field Hospital [following the Ladysmith Relif Column in the South African War] (Cassell and Co, London, 1900); Alcohol: a poison (Church of England Temperance Society, Westminster, [1905]); Highways and Byways in Dorset (Macmillan & Co, London, 1906); The Cradle of the Deep: an account of a voyage to the West Indies (Smith, Elder & Co, London, 1908); The Influence of Enforced Dogmatism in Medicine [Birmingham, 1914]; The Elephant Man, and other reminiscences (Cassell & Co, London, 1923).
Scope and ContentThese papers contain a notebook containing reminiscences of his patients Sir John Millais (1896) and Sir Henry Irving under the title "Passages from my notebooks". Treves' note preceding the text states that he started summarising seminal incidents from his professional life on the suggestion of friends and colleagues, but abandoned the project.
The other volume is a mss account of the illness of King Edwards VII in 1902 [this volume remains CLOSED on the instructions of the Royal Archives]. Also contains a holographic copy of the reminiscences (MS0029/1), and a typed transcription of the treatment of King Edward VII (MS0029/2), as well as a typed list of contents of the collection donated by Lady Rigby in 1961 as accession ADDMSS264.
The other volume is a mss account of the illness of King Edwards VII in 1902 [this volume remains CLOSED on the instructions of the Royal Archives]. Also contains a holographic copy of the reminiscences (MS0029/1), and a typed transcription of the treatment of King Edward VII (MS0029/2), as well as a typed list of contents of the collection donated by Lady Rigby in 1961 as accession ADDMSS264.
Extent2 volumes, 1 file, and 1 typescript
LanguageEnglish
System of arrangementThe records are arranged as outlined in the scope and content.
Conditions governing accessAccess to notebooks on Sir John Millais and Sir Henry Irving are by written appointment with the Library. The notebook on Edward VII has restricted access, requiring written permission from the Archivist at Windsor Castle. Please contact the College Library for details.
Conditions governing reproductionAt the discretion of the librarian
Related objectsMS0343
Treves' drawings to illustrate his Hunterian lectures at the Royal College of Surgeons, 1886.
Treves' drawings to illustrate his Hunterian lectures at the Royal College of Surgeons, 1886.
NotesThe volume that contains the notes on King Edward VII is closed on the instructions of the Royal Archives. Please contact them if you wish to view this volume.
Persons keyword 1841-1910 Edward VII, King of Great Britain and Ireland, Sir Henry Irving, 1838-1905, Knight, actor, Sir John Everett Millais, 1829-1896, Knight, painter, Sir Frederick Treves, 1853-1923, 1st baronet, surgeon, Sir Cecil Pembrey Grey Wakeley, 1892-1979, surgeon
SubjectPatients, Physicians, Social welfare
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