Comments on: James Parkinson, Physician of Hoxton https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/11/20/james-parkinson-physician-geologist/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Mon, 06 Nov 2017 16:08:59 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Robert Greenwood https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/11/20/james-parkinson-physician-geologist/#comment-1178319 Mon, 06 Nov 2017 16:08:59 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=102361#comment-1178319 This little pamphlet: An exhibition at the Library of the Royal Society of Medicine to mark the bicentenary of James Parkinson’s Essay on the Shaking Palsy.

6th November 2017 – 27th January 2018.

Admission free. Open to all.

“The reader will now perceive, that this little pamphlet is highly worthy of perusal, and deserves the attention of the medical public.”
The Medico-Chirurgical Journal and Review 1817; 4: 401-408.

The physician and geologist James Parkinson (1755 – 1824) was a Fellow of the Medical & Chirurgical Society, the forerunner Society to the Royal Society of Medicine. His signature appears in the obligation book of the MCS. The minutes of the Medical & Chirurgical Society meeting held on November 25th, 1817 records James Parkinson’s donation to the Society of a copy of his Essay on the Shaking Palsy. The 1817 volume of the Medico-Chirurgical Transactions also records this fact, and it is listed in the 1844 printed catalogue of the Library of the Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society of London.

In his book on Parkinson, Christopher Gardner-Thorpe lists the RSM Library as holding one of the six copies said still to be in existence. We do, in fact, hold two copies. It is not known whether one of them is the copy donated by Parkinson. The copies displayed in this exhibition were entered in the RSM Library accessions register on 25th January 1929, and were described as “purchased” although with no indication as to where or from whom.

This exhibition affords a chance to display these very rare items alongside works referred to in the Essay by Parkinson as well as early citations and reviews of this little, ground-breaking, pamphlet.

Robert Greenwood
Heritage Officer
The Royal Society of Medicine Library
1 Wimpole Street
LONDON W1G 0AE

]]> By: sally watkins https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/11/20/james-parkinson-physician-geologist/#comment-1037470 Wed, 14 Oct 2015 13:07:12 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=102361#comment-1037470 I am writing an article about James Parkinson for our news letter, Bexley and Dartford branch of Parkinson’s UK. I cannot find much info of his later life and why he left Hoxton, London for Yorkshire where he died, but was buried in St. Leonard’s Church, Shorditch.

Can anyone give me any clues?

How I agree with Dr. Melvyn Brooks,s comment as I watch my husband gradually become more disabled from Parkinsons

Excellent site, thanks for all the help it has given me

]]> By: margaret mcdermott https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/11/20/james-parkinson-physician-geologist/#comment-413828 Sun, 27 Jul 2014 19:25:23 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=102361#comment-413828 I am enjoying the photographs so much. Not a Londoner myself but I come from a very working class part of Liverpool. Two of my greatest friends were Londoners one from the East End so it has a special place in my heart. Thank you so much for all the work that has gone into this site. A labour of love I believe. Best wishes, Margaret Mcermott.

]]> By: Gary https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/11/20/james-parkinson-physician-geologist/#comment-212280 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 21:32:33 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=102361#comment-212280 From the state of the windows of 1 Hoxton Square in 1900 it is obvious that vandals were just as active then as now.
Gary

]]> By: Melvyn Brooks https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/11/20/james-parkinson-physician-geologist/#comment-212001 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 09:45:18 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=102361#comment-212001 Once again The Gentle Author has done a great job. I would like to add a lesser known fact about our hero-James Parkinson.
In addition to private consultation Parkinson worked in the local workhouse very near to Hoxton Square. Three major killers were smallpox, tuberculosis and cholera. All febrile contagious illnesses. It was Parkinson who realised the importance of isolating the sufferers as best and as soon as possible in the conditions within which he worked. He was the first to introduce a Fever Ambulance in the hope of keeping an ill person with a fever separate from others on their way to the workhouse. I believe that this saved more lives than Parkinson’s essay on the Shaking Palsy. Even today, nearly 200 after its publication, we are sadly only on the freshold of curing Parkinsonism. Rarely there is a cure , often alleviation. Dr Melvyn Brooks Karkur Israel

]]> By: Barbara https://spitalfieldslife.com/2013/11/20/james-parkinson-physician-geologist/#comment-211995 Wed, 20 Nov 2013 09:25:12 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=102361#comment-211995 Thank you GA , a real education about an area of London that I love. More please????

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