Key Collection Page

The Bell Collection

Enteric lymph vessels injected with mercury. Some of the lymph vessels are interrupted by small lymph glands which are less completely penetrated by the injection. Bell Collection BC. xii.5.N.5 GC 12604.

Charles Bell ‘Gunshot wound of the ankle joint,’ oil on canvas

Oil painting of the left foot and leg showing a chronic ulcer following a gunshot fracture of the fibula. The foot was amputated on account of the chronic ulcer and sinus and the belief that the ankle joint was affected. The Corunna Oils, Bell Collection BC. xv.11.36

Tibia and fibula

Tibia and fibula, gunshot fracture. Bell Collection GC 13828

Charles Bell, 'Gunshot wound of the clavicle and scapula'

Bell’s catalogue entry records ‘ The musket ball is lodged in the back of the scapula this I took from the body of Capt…the ball entered in the breast, broke the end of the clavicle, entered the chest, and went across the lungs, broke a rib on the back part, stuck in the scapula the spent ball being nearly divided in two by the spine of the scapula; I was present when he was brought ashore in Portsmouth, in a very exhausted condition, and labouring in his breathing, he died the next day, which was the twelfth from receiving the wound. On opening the body I was astonished at finding the quantity of serum, which poured out from the chest, as out of a barrel, the lungs were condensed and gorged with blood, he could have been much relieved by the operation of paracentesis.’ The Corunna Oils, Bell Collection GC 13844.

$Gunshot fracture of the scapula$

Gunshot fracture of the scapula

Gunshot fracture of the scapula as illustrated in Bell’s painting Gunshot wound of the clavicle and scapula. Bell collection BC xvii.17 GC 13829.

'Gunshot wound of the humerus' by Charles Bell, oil on canvas

Bell’s catalogue entry states: ‘In this sketch in oil the apparently trifling nature of the wound, is represented. Through such a wound however the finger can be introduced, and if the bone be shattered, as in this instance, jagged points of the fragments will be felt, all around. The observation made to me on this very case was to this effect, when I feel the bone broken merely I do not amputate, but when I feel it thus, the finger passing through the bone, this is the case for amputation.’ The Corunna Oils, Bell Collection B.C.xvii.25

Amputated humerus

Right humerus amputated from the wounded man pictured in Bell’s painting Gunshot wound of the humerus . The soldier was wonded by a musket-ball at the Battle of Corunna in 1809. The Bell Collection B.C. xvii.24. GC 13830