BELL, Joseph (1837-1911). Autograph Letter Signed (“Joseph Bell”) to Sheriff Mitchell, Sept. 23, 1910, regarding a patient for admission.
2 pp., 8vo, on one leaf (178 x 114 mm) on Bell’s personal stationery (“2 Melville Crescent Edinburgh”), a bit toned and slightly offset, old glue and paper residue on the verso of the letter (not affecting the text), one horizontal crease. Bell writes: “This is a fine excuse for me to write you a letter. Caroline Gray [?] is on our list marked for admission. The difficulty is to get a bed for her we are so full & have so many applicants. She can be admitted only to a bed which had a similar case before and these cases live [?] so long we cannot always be sure of getting one done [?]. However I will do what I can for her. I hope you & yours are well - it has been an excellent time for the leading in this year. The corner [?] fields are nearly cleared now. Kindest remembrances to all your party. I am yours most truly Joseph Bell”.
[Together with:] [SAXBY, Jessie M. E. (1842-1940)]. Joseph Bell M. D., F. R. C. S., J. P., D. L. etc. An Appreciation by an Old Friend. Edinburgh: Oliphant, Anderson & Ferrier, 1913. 8vo. With 11 illustrations. Publisher’s cream cloth backstrip over boards, gilt morocco lettering label on spine (spine toned and rubbed, some edgewear to label, some wear, scuffing, bumping to boards, some foxing to endleaves, occasional thumbsoiling in text). FIRST EDITION OF THIS EXCELLENT BIOGRAPHY OF BELL, WRITTEN ON THE HEELS OF THE REVELATION OF BELL BEING THE INSPIRATION OF SHERLOCK HOLMES. A handsome copy of this rare book. -- [Together with:] LIEBOW, Ely M. (1924-2007). Dr. Joe Bell Model for Sherlock Holmes. Bowling Green: Bowling Green University Press, [1982]. 8vo. Illustrated. Publisher’s full yellow cloth, spine lettered in black (minor rubbing to spine); publisher’s printed dust jacket (occasional minor rubbing, thumbsoiling, jacket slightly toned). FIRST EDITION.
[Together with:] MACKAILL, Alan and KEMP, Dawn. Conan Doyle & Joseph Bell: The Real Sherlock Holmes. [Edinburgh: Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, 2007]. 8vo. Illustrated. Publisher’s printed wrappers (wrappers soiled, rubbed, some creasing). FIRST EDITION. [Together with:] Alphabetical List of Graduates of the University of Edinburgh from 1859-1888. [India: SN Books, ca. 2000s]. 8vo. Full burgundy boards, front board and spine lettered in gilt (some wear, soiling to binding). FACSIMILE EDITION. Bell is listed on p. 21.
Dr. Joseph Bell is considered the first Scottish “scientific surgeon.” He would emphasize to his students the importance of observation; to illustrate this, he would pick a random stranger, and, in front of his class, observe him, and would give a startlingly accurate diagnosis, purely by close observation and deduction. Bell was also a pioneer of forensic science. His student (and later clerk), Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was impressed by his mentor’s abilities, and the due to the impression these abilities made on him, Doyle imbued his famous character with the ability of observation and deduction. Bell’s fame began to grow, and he was even asked to consult on criminal cases (such as the “Ardlamont Mystery” of 1893 - on which Bell worked with another Holmes inspiration, Dr. Henry Littlejohn (1826-1914)). A superb group of the greatest interest to any Sherlockian.