Bladder stone
Date
1668
Creator
Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703, British) , Natural philosopher
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p1
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 240mm
width (page): 280mm
width (page): 280mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Bladder stone of Sir Thomas Adams, former Mayor of London, who died on 24 February 1668. Thomas Allen related to the meeting of the Royal Society on 27 February 1668 that a bladder stone taken out of the deceased weighed twenty-five ounces with a gutter in the middle, and that Adams did not experience discomfort from the stone. At the meeting on 26 March 1668, Allen produced the actual stone, which was weighed (and found to weigh 22 ounces and 3/8). Robert Hook was asked to measure and draw a figure of it.
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 27 February 1668, ‘Dr. Allen related, that there was taken out of the bladder of Sir Thomas Adams lately deceased a stone said to weigh twenty five ounces and three quarters, having in the midst a gutter, through which the urine had probably passed. He added, that the patient had not been heard to make any great complaint of inconvenience till his last distemper, of which he died. He promised to endeavour to procure a sight of the stone for the society’ (Birch 2:254).
On 26 March 1668, ‘Dr. Allen produced the stone lately taken out of the bladder of Sir Thomas Adams, which being weighed before the society, was found to weigh twenty-two ounces and three eighths Troy weight. Mr. Hooke was ordered to take the dimensions and draw the figure of it; and Dr. Allen was desired to procure an account in writing of all the observables, that occurred about this stone, when it lay yet in the bladder, and was taken out; as also of the accidents observed in the patient during his life-time, and particularly, whether it were true, that he did not complain of any great inconvenience from the stone till a few days before his death’ (Birch 2:260).
On 26 March 1668, ‘Dr. Allen produced the stone lately taken out of the bladder of Sir Thomas Adams, which being weighed before the society, was found to weigh twenty-two ounces and three eighths Troy weight. Mr. Hooke was ordered to take the dimensions and draw the figure of it; and Dr. Allen was desired to procure an account in writing of all the observables, that occurred about this stone, when it lay yet in the bladder, and was taken out; as also of the accidents observed in the patient during his life-time, and particularly, whether it were true, that he did not complain of any great inconvenience from the stone till a few days before his death’ (Birch 2:260).
Related fellows
Thomas Allen (British) , Physician
Associated place