68 paintings depicting various sections of (mostly) horse limbs and organs, showing disease and damage. The artworks are mostly watercolours, and those that are dated or signed range from 1820-1848.

Twenty-one of the paintings are signed by W Field (as well as the artist’s name) and it is assumed these were given to the RCVS by ex-President William Field, in a large presentation to Library and Museum in 1877. The reason these paintings were made, and why Field collected them, is unknown. Amongst Field’s collection, the paintings are signed by A A Cane, Joseph Perry and G Kirtland.

Twenty seven other artworks are by William Henry Kearney (1800-1858). The remaining 20 artworks are unsigned and undated, and do not seem to be related to the other two collections.

FS/2/2/2/1/3 – Selected papers from veterinary case notes relating to Circulatory Systems

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[[1]]

Chestnut Mare – Lazaretto [Annotated ‘5 Lancers’]

Previous History of Mare:

History of this case was that the mare without any reason showed signs of intermittent lameness; this gradually got worse & thrombosis was diagnosed from the following symptoms.

Would start well; after going a little distance would commence straddling with hind legs more marked in off than near. The straddling gait rapidly got worse & rocking from side to side. She was with difficulty got to a place where she could lie down. When she would get down at once showing every sign of acute pain extremities cold, veins of hind legs much distended (an important size & in the present case due to venous a well as arterial thrombosis) The iliacs were previous in May 1887 at time when the above symptoms were most marked. In March ‘88 the iliacs could only be felt as hard cords. Pulsation abruptly ceasing at posterior Aorta. There was no patchy sweating. Nothing out of the ordinary in the sweat symptoms to draw one’s attention to it. Symptoms passed off in an hour – Time symptoms took to appear was 5-10 minutes.

Roarer – She was an intermittent roarer & there was nothing on P M Exmn to account for this.

no Laryngeal paralysis

Note – That she had as slightly straightly dropped hind legs it was possible to have.

In Feb ‘87 mare was reported to have slipped backwards in jumping over a ditch leaving her hind legs “behind her” nothing appeared amiss afterwards.

On 20th March 1888 was found down and unable to rise, No signs of cholic. Feeding. no loss

of sensation. Pulse decidedly firm 40, less intermittent than

[[2]]

usual. Conjunction near mouth pale. got her up with help stood for ¾ hour. all hay & straw. relieved her of 1 Gall of urine which was thick & creamy in appearance. Examination per return should iliacs of both sides like firm cords & with no pulsation in them. Again fell down suddenly & lay quietly.

On morning of 21st evidently worse and died in forenoon. Had eaten feed.

[Annotated ‘P M Exmn’]

Great congestion of peritoneum; marked congestion of the bowels. Displacement of double colon. pelvic[?] flexnor[sic] being close to Diaphragm (there was great p. m tymphany although body was examined at 5 pm) Colon contained large quantity of healthy material.

Small intestines inflamed from Duodenum to ileum colon being maroon. gut not thickened; contents blood – coloured ingesta. Cause unknown unless intratracheal injection of serum from case of Hydrothorax produced it.

[Annotated ‘Liver’]

Small chocolate coloured and calcareous. 7 lb 12 oz. one deposit removed, as large as a cherry stone.

The lime deposits were nothing like so numerous as met with in India but quite as large &

of same character.

Stomach and Kidneys healthy

Attached to omentum were 2 small tumours size of nut. extremely hard & like the testicles of a small animal in appearance – on section found to be lime encapsuled. the deposit being of a dirty grey colour

[Annotated ‘Lungs – normal’]

A little water in chest & also in pericardial sac. On slitting up some of the pulmonary vessels the internal coat was found roughened & from thrombi attached. Beyond this change & a slight oedematous condition of anterior lobe of right lung (& that was probably due to the intratracheal injection) nothing of further importance was observed.

[[3]]

Post Aorta

Just before its bifurcation into the iliacs contained a firm thrombus which on the Cardiac side had a tapered extremity, about 3 ½ inches long. Whilst on iliac side it almost completely filled the vessel

the Ext[erna]l & Int[erna]l iliacs with their various branches were also plugged. so completely in fact that it was difficult to understand how any blood passed along the vessels. The thrombi extended down as low as the middle of Tibia where an artery had been accidentally cut across & a little fluid black blood escaped. The dissection of the vessels was as easily accomplished as in a[sic] infected “artery subject” in fact the feel imparted to the fingers on manipulating the arteries was just as if filled with firm wax injection. On slitting open the post[erio]r Aorta close to its iliac bifurcation a firm clot resembling much in shape a human pluis[?] was found. Its colon was yellowish internally, blood coloured externally & where flakey adherent to wall of the vessel it was brown.

This adhesion occurred at floor of Aorta so that whatever blood passed through the vessel was between the roof of the thrombus. In the Iliac arteries the clots appear to have completely filled the vessels & though collateral circulation must have been established to compensate for this plugging yet such was not observable.

Those vessels doing the work were not particularly large. Observe that the clots in all the vessels were irregular & appeared like dice on a string. The composite nature of thrombus showed that it had been gradually added to & that these additions were irregular was proved by the nodular condition of the vessels.

The Post[erio]r Vena Cava had a firm thrombus in it extending from its origin 6 or 8 inches forward.

It by no means filled the vessel; was firmly

[[4]]

attached to the wall at its posterior part but elsewhere lay free. It was a shrunken mottled, yellowish, white rigid clot. This latter was covered by a membrane which on being incised yellowish olive material could be squeezed out. Is it not peculiar for a thrombus to be provided with a covering.

The Iliac veins were free; but in tibial vein of off hind exactly in popliteal space was a firm thrombus completely distending the vessel causing it to assume a varicose appearance; & was as large as one’s thumb. On making a section into the varicose tibial veins the coats were found very thick. Thrombus externally yellow & firm internally brown & soft – this latter most peculiar.

The veins from head of tibia (off hind only) down to front of hock were completely plugged as far as front of hock (veins 2 not one) were varicose the whole distance & the plexus which forms over front front[sic] of joint being fully distended by the thrombus formed the most pretty natural injection conceivable.

On removing the skin from inside of thighs considerable hamorrhage[sic] had taken place into the muscular tissue & in places the muscular tissue & in places the muscular fibres appeared torn & hemorrhage was also present as far in as obturator foramen.

[Transcription by Claudia Watts, KCL History, April 2019]

[FS/2/2/2/1/3]
[[1]]
[Annotated ‘Fibralation of the Ven abl June 1927’]

1893 No 11 Corp: Horse number 15894

8th June – Valvula[sic] Disease – fell this morning & brought sick with injured knee. Took pulse and found it 14 no mistake, taken a dozen times. Temperature 102. 18, fainted five times during the day – heart sound difficult to determine first sound normal & sound attended long pause during which the heart appears to be spasmodically contracting, judging from the vibrations of the chest, irregular pulse. The thumping of the heart so great that it can be counted at a distance by the shock seen.

The scapula & chest wall.

9th [June] Pulse 15, fainted three times – feeding well

10th [June] [Pulse] 18, [fainted] twice [times] – [feeding well]

11th [June] [Pulse] 18 resp 18 [fainted] twice [times] – [feeding well]

12th [June] [Pulse] 24 [resp] 18 [fainted] four [times] – [feeding well]

13th [June] Temp 101 [Pulse] 36 [resp] 18 [fainted] four [times] – [feeding well]

14th [June] [Temp] 100 [Pulse] 43 [resp] 18 [fainted] three [times] – [feeding well]

15th [June] [Pulse] 18 [resp] 18 [fainted] three [times] – [feeding well]

16th [June] [Pulse] 18 [resp] 18 [fainted] five [times] – [feeding well]

17th [June] [Pulse] 18 [resp] 18 [fainted] four [times] – [feeding well]

18th [June] [Pulse] 30 [resp] 18 [fainted] three [times]   – Case hopeless Board applied for

14th July – Destroyed by order of a committee. P.M.E The heart was enormously dilated & so flabby that it was like jelly all the cavities were dilated & the wall atrophied so much so that the left ventricle was thinner than an ordinary right ventricle. There was no vascular disease & I cannot account for the absence of the 2nd heart sound. Heart weighed 9 lbs.

14th July – Destroyed

[Annotated ‘Thickness of left ventricle 1 1/8 inches

Extreme width of left [ventricle] 11 [inches]
[Extreme width of] right [ventricle] 11 [inches]

P.T.O

[[2]]

This horse was destroyed with chloroform prior to which a very careful examination was made of the chest by Buller & me. The heart was irregular & thumping 1st sound an entire absence of the 2nd sound succeeded by distant vibrations of the heart wall or chest wall but no pound.

This heart sound was carefully gone into, it varied for 17 to 30 per mint[sic]. The higher number was due to excitement the animal being about[?] to be destroyed.

I expected the heart to stop readily under chloroform but this was not the case, it took two or three ounces & the exclusion of air to destroy him. The respiration then ceased before the heart.

I do not understand the absence of the 2 heart sound with healthy valves. There can be no doubt that it was absent this is quite ununderstandable unexplainable excepting on the

After the heart had stood for a few hours rigor mortis set in & the walls became firm, but not so firm as ordinary.

The cause of the Dilation of the heart is obscure doubtless the length of time it took the ventricles to fill is the explanation of the slow pulse

After a faint the pulse became nearly entirely lost. They gradually strengthened to a marked dicrotic[?] character.

Irregular pulsation observed as high as the junction[?]

[[3]]

Sounds of this heart

1st sound thumping

2nd [sound] sometimes entirely lost at other times a mere trace of sound.

In either case the heart contraction is followed by a vibration of the chest wall as if the heart were spasmodically contracting & yet no sound produced.

[Transcription by Claudia Watts, KCL History, April 2019]

Photographs of Smith’s laboratory at the Army Veterinary School, Aldershot

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1 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 27 Nov 1897

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[[1]]

42 Rutland Gate Rd

Nov 27/97

Dear Captain Smith,

Since writing & talking with you about horses, I have not being [sic] idle but have been puzzling in various directions, and now want to consult you once again. Let me first say that I have had a good work at the Records of American Trotting horses, and finished a memoir thereon, not yet printed. It seems that there exists a very valuable collection of facts there, that could be used for hereditary inquiry, but which is at present practically inaccessible,

[[2]]

though with a little management it might to all appearance be easily obtained. I am in full correspondence about this, & only mention it now to shew that I am hopefully busy.

What I want now to ask you about, relates to the former question of horse – measurement, and to the following idea.

I suppose there to be little difficulty in gradually initialising a custom of having a “common” photograph taken of each valuable horse in the way to be described[.] I mean quite independently of the artistic and costly photos now usual.

[[3]]

The “common” photo is intended to carry on its face the necessary data for making measurements in the photograph itself, and these seem to be very sensible.

  1. for the body, a stiff leather & dark plate, with a white (or blue, which is white photographically & less staring?) rectangle in paper of say 20 inches x 10 inches attached to it, which might be graduated & bear a recognised standard mark[.]
  2. for the head, a graduated headstall (lengthways.

[[4]]

It seems to me from looking at horses in the street in harness, & those with waterproof rugs over their backs, that a plate of the sort I mean would practically coincide with a vertical plane tangential to the horse’s side. *postscript [struck-through text illeg] there would be no [illeg] difficulty in getting correct measures however much (within reasonable limits) the vertical position of the horse was oblique to the line of slight[.] For, by prolonging in pencil in the photograph of the top and bottom lines, seen in perspective, a vertical scale suitable to that perspective is obtained, and the horizontal scale can be easily deduced. Thus all the [vertic] distances in a vertical plane tangential to the side of the horse can be measured from the photo.

[[5]]

The graduated head stall would give a similar means of measuring the head; whatever its obliqueness to this line of sight might be[.]

3/ In measuring the body, the points in it might be spotted, with a small stiff brush dipped in chalk and water, before photographing. Precautions being of course insisted on, that these should be done by a skilled & trustworthy person[.]

It seems to my very enthusiastic

[[6]]

mind, that the interest & utility of providing means for future accurate measurement of every valuable horse, would lead in time (if the movement were first stabled in respect to the winners at prize shows) to its pretty general adoption[.] The points to be dotted with chalk and water are those we talked about, subject of course to re-consideration.

How does all this strike you? I should truly be obliged to free criticism, not wishing to make any move in a subject on which I have so little

[[7]]

practical knowledge, without approval from those who have.

Very faithfully yours with kind remembrances to Mrs Smith

Francis Galton

To avoid prolixity I have perhaps not entered fully enough into the ways of getting a scale from the graduations in the plate. The plate may slope vertically as well as in the way described but a divergence of even 8⁰ makes only percent error!

The data for finding all out, are the measured lengths in the photograph of AB, AC, and CD (page 4).

[[8]]

The scale for any measurement in the tan vertical tangential plane to the horses side can be deduced from these data, either by graphic methods such as architectural draughtsmen use, or perhaps more simply by the help of tables for the purpose. I worked out many of these during another & different attempt with horse – photographers, but have not regularly thought these out those that are suitable for the present purpose. There seems no difficulty in doing so.

2 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 1 Dec 1897

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[[1]]

42 Rutland Gate, S.W.

Dear Captain Smith

You are most obliging & helpful. Let me suggest in addition (if not too late) a white streak down the line of the shoulder & possibly elsewhere.

I am making a little, optical instrument that promises to act very well, to standardise colour. Could you manage conveniently

[[2]]

to get me a few snips of hair, ches:t bay, brown & black, and of 2 or 3 shades of each, for me to mount experimentally[.] As much of the whole lot as could be stuffed into a common envelope, would suffice.

Very faithfully yours

Francis Galton

3 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 7 Dec 1897

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42 Rutland Gate, S.W.

Dec 7/97

Dear Captain Smith

Last night on returning from a few days in the country, I found your most welcome photographs; the card about A reached me this morning.

The measurements are most easy to make on the photo and it is just possible that they may be

[[2]]

more trustworthy when taken as the perspective projection

[sketch of horse and camera positions]

of the spots on a vertical plane touching the horses side; that at is as mn (not MN). What is wanted is an horizontal projection of those

[sketch of camera position]
[[3]]

points viz μ, v. The small correction necessary to find these is easily to be obtained from the data h, k, Mμ, Nv.

h & k might be recorded by the photographer (a rough approximation sufficing) and Mμ Nv might be guessed for the particular horse after having been measured for two or three types of horses[.] The correction wd be very small never I should think exceeding 1 inch, except in the height of withers & elsewhere along the spine of the back[.]

the values of mn & your

[[4]]

measures of MN are given below

[table of data including mn (from photo) and MN (from measures)]

I took photos (not yet developed) of 2 horses in the country but foolishly did not measure between the spots, my object being to practice the technique of manipulation. It was an opportunity lost.

When I have worked at these, I should like to consult you as

[[5]]

to the best way of getting numerous photos with measures of horses; and of determining what points to select for measures.

Your gummed discs are beautifully clear. I am inclined to lithograph & cut out discs on this principle,

[sketch of disc]

(I have no compasses or scale at hand, & have used a shilling to make the circle. It shd have been 1” in diameter.). or else to stencil them. Pray accept my heartiest thanks.

[[6]]

As regards the whistles I enclose one for you to keep. You will probably find it to work best when the piston is greased.

There is so much difficulty in determining for each individual whistle, the relation between the depth & the note, that I would suggest your discarding the question altogether & in its place to find the depth that cats can just hear & some few children also. If in a more intelligible measure than

[[7]]

no of vibrations. Shaw’s method of doing this was by the method of interference between the sound wave, as it travelled towards a screen, and its echo as it travelled back. By moving the jet of a sensitive flame to and fro, the nodes of quiescence were easily found & the distance between 2 adjacent nodes was quickly found, whence the no of vibrations per sec: was of course found at once.

In using whistles for high notes, recollect that any intervening obstacle casts a well defined sound shadow.

[[8]]

The sound does not travel round them freely, as it does with ordinary notes. I tried all the beasts in the zoo with a whistle at the end of a walking stick. An india rubber ball was squeezed in the hand, and it

[sketch of whistle]

expelled air that passed through a thin tube to the whistle, which gave a tiny squeak. The big carnivores hated it. Some human persons do so also. It gives to them a strange dizzy sensation, that is not sound, but is conveyed by the ear in a different form to the brain.

Very faithfully yours

Francis Galton

P.S.
Do not call me “Dr.”

4 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 15 Dec 1897

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42, Rutland Gate, S.W.

Dec 15/97

Dear Capt Smith

I must not bore you in this your busy time, but merely write to ask that you wd let me know before recommencing with the horse-measurements, as I have much improved and simplified.

The enclosed (to be read to-morrow at the R. Soc), may interest when you are next at leisure.

Very faithfully yours

Francis Galton

5 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 5 Jan 1898

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42, Rutland Gate, S.W.

Jan 5/98

Dear Capt Smith

Your two memoirs, which I enclose, interest me much.

Wd not the title of the M S be better
“Relation between the Weight of a horse and his weight-carrying power”?

What you determine in the relation to his estimated weight carrying power & these seemed wanting evidence to show that the estimate concurred with fact. As it stands, you show that

[[2]]

the complex of motives by which experts judge, is on the average in direct ratio to the weight of the horse.

I wd suggest if you wish to submit the paper to the R. Soc to make this clear, and to explain the amount of reliance and of responsibility that is extended to experts.

It would be very interesting to collate the judgements of several experts about the same horse, but that wd be an inquiry by itself.

The following however ought to be done – viz show the mean deviation between the estimated and the calculated values in each

[[3]]

of your 4 groups. Strictly, the ratios of error/weight shd be compared; possibly error (deviation) wd be near enough.

Another thing, in the greater strictness now exercised about the Proceedings, with the view of reducing the bulk of printed matter. I shd therefore suggest (rather strongly) you omitting down to the 2nd method in p. 4, so starting in medias res.

Please let me hesitate about submitting it to the R. Soc untill[sic] I shall have seen it again.

[[4]]

The subject is not strictly in my line so it will be necessary anyhow for me to read it in in the first case, privately & subject to the approved of Michael Foster. If he or his referree[sic] it is all right the paper wd then go in regularly, which wd give me great pleasure. I should be always delighted to do any thing of the kind for you, you having done so much for me.

I was intending to write to you either to-day or to-morrow, because my article on “Measurement of Horses & Photography” comes out in “Nature” to-morrow. You shall

[[5]]

have a copy soon after. It would indeed be a great help to me if I could photograph at the Vet: Hospital. Do not answer till you have seen the article. My drawback is that I have to be very careful about weather. Some recurrence of an old Syrian fever (apparently) has now kept me almost to my bedroom for a week or more & though I am getting right, I am not & shall not be capable

[[6]]

of standing wet & cold like ordinary persons.

A very intelligent nephew of my late wife, Frank Butler who is staying (living) with me & acts as my secretary, would help effectively.

This is the first long letter I have written since my shiverings &c came on.

Very sincerely yours

Francis Galton

6 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 7 Jan 1898

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Jan 7/98

42, Rutland Gate. S.W.

Dear Captain Smith

Here is the paper.

Very sincerely yrs

Francis Galton

7 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 13 Jan 1898

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Jan 12/98

42, Rutland Gate, S.W.

Dear Capt Smith

Thank you very much indeed. I enclose my results.

Is my supposition of 2 errors in measurement (see note at bottom of enclosed) a possibility? If I am right, the results are very fair, except AB which has no business to be ½ inch wrong.

The measures are very easily made under a watchmakers

[[2]]

lens. & the multiplications by means of Crelle’s tables is still quicker.

I dont think the obliquity of the side scale has led to notable error, it is perspectively shortened thereby to perhaps 2 or 3 % but I have not properly worked it out. (I ought to make a little table.)

Two or three days ago I had a long & instructive talk with Capt Hayes,

[[3]]

who spoke much of the extreme fidgetiness of thoroughbreds & still more of well bred Hackneys. He showed me his book (wh: I knew before) & in turning over the leaves, I remarked on a zebra standing quietly in a small enclosure, & asked whether a thoroughbred would tolerate being led into a sort of pen, thus :-

[sketch indicating “wall place for horse to stand]

He quite thought the plan wd do

[[4]]

and suggested a rope for AB, as amply sufficient, because these fidgetty[sic] horses hate touching anything, and a rope could not hurt them. In this case, 2 knots in the rope would give the scale. What do you think of this? I might possibly get the plan tried at some racing stables – not photographing these, but merely seeing whether the horses wd stand quiet under the conditions.

Very faithfully yours,

Francis Galton

I never answered your question about the whistles. I do not put them very near. If you find any hopeful result with the coarse whistle I sent you, I could lend a much more delicate one, better suited for very high notes.

8 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 18 Jan 1898

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Dear Capt Smith

Your letter reached me just as I was starting for a Sat-Monday in the country and as I had not taken your photo with me, cd not answer it earlier.

I had quite overlooked the height of brisket above ground, copying only the little table in your letter and forgetting that the height in question was not in the actual table. Now I have measured it it is 28.5 mm, which Xlied with 1.19 (the recriprocal[sic] of 16.8.mm which corresponds to a length of 10” in the belly scale] = 33 inches in round numbers is actually 32”.9).

[[2]]

This is the value you give.

A friend of mine suggests as an irreducible minimum of trouble & of utility, to have the height at withers always measured and recorded on photos, and to use this as the scale. Of course such conditions must be exacted or would give the intersection of the median plane with the ground; that which I proposed of – (1) hard ground (2) all four hoof tips seen from camera,

[[3]]

being perhaps as good as any. But how to ensure the verticality of the back of the camera, in the difficulty the eye wd detect gross error but I fear not a moderate and yet a dangerous error. What do you think? The less photo artists are hampered by conditions, the more likely are they to be useful[.] In a “hippometric” laboratory there wd be little difficulty. Supposing the above plan were adopted to start with, I dare say the stud book people could be induced to insert height at withers, as

[[4]]

a general rule, accepting at first what is communicated & afterwards exacting authentification[sic] of some kind.

Very faithfully yours

Francis Galton