William Withering

[mikejee]

Apart from a brief mention on a thread on the Lunar society four years ago. nothing much seems to have been said on the forum about William Withering. Below is something from the Birmingham Post in 1979. He lodged at the Square, which gives us a connection to another thread. Some further information is given by Jenny Uglow in "The Lunar Men", but it is just snippets, even though he was a major con tributor to the society.
Mike

 

[Aidan]

An almost forgotten member of the Lunar Society, the discoverer of Digitalis for Heart conditions and fascinated by Fairy Rings

 

[Thylacine]

Mike, thanks for posting these old newspaper articles . What an interesting and important (if largely unknown) person William Withering was! It is fascinating that his discovery of digitalis stemmed from information obtained from a Shropshire "gipsy" (folk herbalist). I was pleased to learn that he and his family escaped relatively unscathed from the "Priestley Riots" of 1791 (a disgraceful chapter of Birmingham history; the destruction of Joseph Priestley's library, laboratory and manuscripts broke his stout heart).

 

[Thylacine]

William Withering's seminal work An Account of the Foxglove and Some of its Medical Uses: with Practical Remarks on Dropsy and Other Diseases (Birmingham: by M Swinney for G G J and J Robinson, 1785) is available to the interested reader via this e-book from Project Gutenberg. And here is another internet version from La Societa' Italiana di Biochimica e Biologia Moleculare (it's good to have two versions in case one disappears!). The "old woman from Shropshire", who let Withering in on the secret in 1775, sadly remains anonymous (her later identification as "Old Mother Hutton" is apparently spurious). If you'd rather buy a first edition, then here's your opportunity, but you'd better have us$18,000 ready! :boohoo: Below is an image of the title page of the first edition (from the Science and Society Picture Library). Not the best image available, but interesting in that it carries the author's inscription dedicating the copy to fellow "Lunatick" James Watt.

 

[Thylacine]

[Not directly on topic, but an interesting Birmingham personality about whom little seems to be known: ]

The printer of Withering's Account of the Foxglove was Myles Swinney (c 1738 - 2 November 1812). Swinney was a radical Birmingham bookseller, printer and newspaper proprietor. In 1771 he was responsible (with Samuel Aris) for the publication of Voltaire's Thoughts on Religion in the Warwickshire (Weekly) Journal, which caused some controversy. He was one of the "Society of Gentlemen" who sponsored The British Museum or Universal Register of Literature Politics and Poetry (Birmingham: by and for M Swinney, 1771). From 1773 he was sole proprietor of Swinney's Birmingham and Stafford Chronicle, and he published The New Birmingham Directory for several years from about 1773. His premises were in High Street.

 

[Aidan]

For Fairy fanatics everywhere.

Like fellow Lunar Society members, he had a wide range of interests in both science and the arts and was also an active member of the Society for the abolition of the Slave Trade.

Withering is famous for a number of worthy things and an example of the wider interests is his investigation into the phenomenon of the “fairy rings” and discovered in 1792 that they were caused by the roots of mushrooms.

It just strikes me as an amazing brave and esoteric thing to do (something with which these days he would be pilloried in the popular press) when there was general belief in faeries and elves, described below and represented in art examples attached:

A great deal of folklore surrounds fairy rings. Their names in European languages often allude to supernatural origins; they are known as ronds de sorciers ("sorcerers' rings") in France, and hexenringe ("witches' rings") in German. In German tradition, fairy rings were thought to mark the site of witches' dancing on Walpurgis Night, and Dutch superstition claimed that the circles show where the Devil set his milk churn. In Tyrol, folklore attributed fairy rings to the fiery tales of flying dragons; once a dragon had created such a circle, nothing but toadstools could grow there for seven years. European superstitions routinely warned against entering a fairy ring. French tradition reported that fairy rings were guarded by giant bug-eyed toads that cursed those who violated the circles. In other parts of Europe, entering a fairy ring would result in the loss of an eye. Fairy rings are associated with diminutive spirits in the Philippines.
Scandinavian and Celtic traditions claimed that fairy rings are the result of elves or fairies dancing. Such ideas dated to at least the mediæval period; The Middle English term elferingewort ("elf-ring"), meaning "a ring of daisies caused by elves' dancing" dates to the 12th century. In his History of the Goths (1628), Olaus Magnus makes this connection, saying that fairy rings are burned into the ground by the dancing of elves. British folklorist Thomas Keightley noted that in Scandinavia in the early 20th century, beliefs persisted that fairy circles (elfdans) arose from the dancing of elves. Keightley warned that while entering an elfdans might allow the interloper to see the elves—although this was not guaranteed—it would also put the intruder in thrall to their illusions.

 

[Thylacine]

Lovely post, Aidan! I like that colour picture.

Talking of fairies and mushrooms, I wonder how much "fairy folklore" stems from the consumption of the fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) toadstool? "Yes, I see it too!"

[This is a medical thread - don't try this at home folks! :dft005:]

 

[johndavies]

Drs Withering, Gamgee and Ash were three of the most famous General Hospital physicians. When I was working at BGH the main corridor was lined with oil portraits of these and other notables. Mikes cutting mentions a portrait of Withering together with his diploma in the med school so two portraits must exist of this great man. I was told that when the hospital became the kiddies all these portraits were moved to Selly Oak though on visits there I have never been able to locate them. I do hope these portraits haven't been condemned to storage, they illustrate so well the pioneers of modern medicine.

 

[johndavies]

John, those portraits should be located and made accessible. Does anyone know anything?

Colin B is very knowledgeable on hospitals in Birmingham, perhaps he can throw some light on their whereabouts. I am friends with some very senior managers in that hospital circuit and no one can answer the question. I was told 30 years ago when I worked there some portraits were painted by very famous artists of the day and Birmingham Art Gallery would have been the natural location. I dont think for a moment those portraits will suit the decor of the new super hospital.

 

[mikejee]

Below is a portrait from Uglow's book, by c. F. von Breda. It is acknowledged at the end of the book as being from the Faculty of Medicine.Univ. of Birmingham
Mike

 

[Thylacine]

Is the portrait you mentioned, John, different to the C F von Breda portrait (Mike's last post)? Perhaps the BGH portrait was a copy.

 

[Thylacine]

According to this, the Birmingham University Hospital Postgraduate Centre portrait is a copy of von Breda's original. So perhaps the BGH one is the original (all the more reason to find it!).

 

[johndavies]

Memories do fade/become corrupt after 30 years but I am sure this is the portrait at the General. Mikes newspaper cutting states the portrait to be in the medical school. The postgraduate centre is an entirely different building (or was) so that suggests there are either 3 portraits in circulation or the BGH one was moved to the med school and their copy given to the postgraduate centre.

 

[Thylacine]

Here is an excellent 1985 article on Withering by A G W Whitfield (of Birmingham University). It enlightens us as to the whereabouts of the original von Breda portrait, and tells the interesting story of the source of the Birmingham University copy (my emphasis):

"The famous portrait of William Withering by Carl Frederik von Breda was painted in 1792 when von Breda was in England as court painter. The original is in the National Gallery at Stockholm but an excellent engraving from it was produced by W Bond and appeared as a frontispiece in Miscellaneous Tracts and Ridley made another for Thornton's collection. Many present here tonight will have seen the copy of the original painting in the Dean's room at our medical school. It was presented by K D Wilkinson with a hanging brass plaque describing the donor as 'Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics in the University of Birmingham 1929-47 at a salary of £25 per annum.' When A P Thomson became Dean, Wilkinson had died and the plaque so wounded AP's warm heart that he had it replaced by one which omits all financial details."

 

[leslam]

"Edgbaston: a history" by Terry Slater has a good section on William Withering. Among other things, it explains how he came to lease Edgbaston Hall (later Edgbaston Golf Club) from Sir Henry Gough. He died in 1799 as he was preparing to move to a smaller and warmer house in Sparkbrook.
The book also has details about the riots of 1791; EDbaston Hall was where they ended.
I think that the house that is now the William Withering consulting suite at the back of the Priory Hospital (has a boundary with the golf club) fits in somwhere. There is a lot of information and pictures on the walls and it has been restored to a fantastic standard;. Unfortunately, the last time I wwas in there I was so poorly that I couldn't have cared less! I can call in there and see if they will let me have a look at them.

 

[ColinB]

I certainly remember the portraits along the main corridor at BGH, and also in the Board Room, but it was nearly 40 years ago, and I certainly didn't have an interest in old pictures then. Many of the older hospitals had a art collection of some sorts, usually their benefactors and prominent men who were connected with the place. I remember large portraits at Sorrento, Jaffrey and the Accident Hospitals, as well. These pictures could be anywhere even stored in a basement, with very few people even knowing about them.
I did try to trace the key used at the opening of the Jaffrey Hospital, that was discussed on the forum, I knew it went to the BGH, because I removed from the Jaffrey when it closed along with a number of other artifacts, and BGH insisted they were returned to them.
I have also spoken to a information officer at Selly Oak Hospital, asking what steps will be taken to ensure the preservation of any items of a historic nature, I'm afraid even at this stage now the hospital has started to close, there are no plans in place, so possibly other items will be lost.

Colin

 

[Brownowl40]

Can i just add that William Withering was born in Wellington, Shropshire - now part of Telford. There is a plaque showing his birth place in the market square.

 

[leslam]

For anyone who is interested in the details of his life and research, there are two books on William Withering in Birmingham Central Library:

William Withering of Birmingham by Peak & Wilkinson, published 1950
Life & Times of William Withering (this seems to make a lot of references to the previous book)

 

[Thylacine]

Can i just add that William Withering was born in Wellington, Shropshire - now part of Telford. There is a plaque showing his birth place in the market square.

Hi, Brownowl40! I'm sorry, I've only just noticed your post. Where exactly in Wellington Market Square is Withering's birthplace? I don't suppose you can come up with a picture of the house (and of the plaque)? Or a Google Maps streetview?

 

[Thylacine]

... William Withering of Birmingham by Peak & Wilkinson, published 1950 ...

Thanks, leslam (sorry I missed this earlier). The details of the book are:

Thomas Whitemore Peck and Kenneth Douglas Wilkinson. William Withering of Birmingham. Bristol: John Wright and Sons, 1950.​

I looked for an e-text, to no avail.

But I did come across an e-text of Withering's Miscellaneous Tracts (London: Longman & Co, 1822), which contains a 200-page "Memoir of William Withering" by his son (and namesake). The picture below is the frontispiece of this book, an engraving after Von Breda's famous portrait. [Sorry, I see that this picture has been posted before by Aidan (#2)]

 

[Dennis Williams]

G'day, Dennis! Thanks for that lovely picture and interesting text.

[I couldn't help noticing the Betjeman quote in your "signature": he's one of my favourite poets, and a great writer on (and defender of) "un-modern" architecture. ]

Thank you O mighty dog-faced pouched one, you are most welcome, and well spotted from so far away. I am indeed a fellow defender of Victorian architectural splendour, like dear old JB. And as proof, albeit at the risk of going slightly off message now, witness below the appalling desecration of one of Birmingham's finest buildings, viz., 24 Union Street Library, and it's rather paradoxical link to this Thread's subject, our William. The photo and text is from Roy Thornton's delicious book LOST BUILDINGS OF BIRMINGHAM:

The Old Library, 24 Union Street
The Birmingham Library was founded in 1779 and its first meeting place was in Snow Hill, where it was open for one hour each morning. A move was made to larger premises in Upper Priory on 5 May 1790 and, by then, the opening hours were much longer. Land was obtained on a 120 year lease, commencing 24 June 1793, from Dr Withering, at a ground rent of £11 15s per annum. Building work started quickly, but the library, designed by William Hollins and built in stone, was not completed until 1797. The building was symmetrical about the portico and was extended later to the left. A new building was erected in Margaret Street in 1899 where the library remains as part of the Birmingham & Midland Institute. No 24 Union Street remained in use until it was demolished in the 1960s. Boooooo….

(Replacement Photo)

 

[Shortie]

Oh to be able to pass through Union Street today with it looking like that. Amazing stuff. This mgnificent picture was taken in a time when Birmingham was more houses than shops. If the City Council had had its wits about it, it could have surely accommodated a shop within these facades - after all, they have done it in Bath, Cheltenham and Lichfield, so why not Birmingham? I think a lot of the problem lies with the date - 1960's when a huge amount of destruction was allowed. In all post-war years, after every war, the same thing has happened but on different scales. I think it is to do with washing away anything to do with those days - getting rid and bringing on the new. New life begins here, so to speak. Sad but true.

Shortie (who does not like much that is new at all, except clothes and shoes!)

 

[mikejee]

A book, "William Withering of Birmingham" by Peck & Wilkinson (1950) is available now at https://ia801505.us.archive.org/12/...2015.63903.Willam-Withering-Of-Birmingham.pdf