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Actions	George Bell (1777-1832) Remove from selection Add to selection Object numberED.CS.2010.30 TitleGeorge Bell (1777-1832) CreatorUnknown DescriptionBell, George (1777-1832). FRCSEd 1798. Portrait, oil, framed. Artist: Unknown.FRCSEd 1798, in oil, artist unnknown. Oil on canvas in gilt frame. George Bell was one of the four sons of the surgeon Benjamin Bell who originally came from Dumfries. He practised surgery in Edinburgh in partnership with his brother-in-law Adolphus Ross one of whose patients was Sir Walter Scott. He was for some years Consulting Surgeon to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and his most notable House Surgeon was Robert Liston. His family however played a very important part in the history of the College. No fewer than six members over four generations were Fellows of the College. His father was Benjamin Bell (1749-1806), a surgeon to the Royal Infirmary for many years, who had studied in Paris, London and Edinburgh. He was one of the first to seek for some means of alleviating pain during surgical operations and these were described in his ‘System of Surgery’. These early attempts, crude and ineffectual though they may seem, anticipated the discovery of ether and chloroform by more than half a century. Benjamin Bell made other significant contributions. He taught that a cancerous tumour was in the first instance a local condition and that early removal was essential if a cure was to be expected. He was also the first person to distinguish clearly between syphilis and gonorrhoea. These pioneering efforts marked him out as one of the first surgeons to adopt a scientific approach to his work. George Bell had a brother, Joseph, who was also a Fellow and his son, Benjamin, was President of the College from 1863 to 1865. That Benjamin's son was Joseph Bell. From 1771 until 1911 there was always a Benjamin or a Joseph Bell on the Roll of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh: this family of Bells, however, is not related to Sir Charles Bell. Production periodNineteenth century (early) Object nameGeorge Bell (1777-1832), Portrait Object categoryArtworks MaterialOil, Canvas Dimensions Height: 74.1 cm Width: 61.5 cm

Object numberED.CS.2010.30

TitleGeorge Bell (1777-1832)

DescriptionBell, George (1777-1832). FRCSEd 1798. Portrait, oil, framed. Artist: Unknown.FRCSEd 1798, in oil, artist unnknown. Oil on canvas in gilt frame. George Bell was one of the four sons of the surgeon Benjamin Bell who originally came from Dumfries. He practised surgery in Edinburgh in partnership with his brother-in-law Adolphus Ross one of whose patients was Sir Walter Scott. He was for some years Consulting Surgeon to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and his most notable House Surgeon was Robert Liston. His family however played a very important part in the history of the College. No fewer than six members over four generations were Fellows of the College. His father was Benjamin Bell (1749-1806), a surgeon to the Royal Infirmary for many years, who had studied in Paris, London and Edinburgh. He was one of the first to seek for some means of alleviating pain during surgical operations and these were described in his ‘System of Surgery’. These early attempts, crude and ineffectual though they may seem, anticipated the discovery of ether and chloroform by more than half a century. Benjamin Bell made other significant contributions. He taught that a cancerous tumour was in the first instance a local condition and that early removal was essential if a cure was to be expected. He was also the first person to distinguish clearly between syphilis and gonorrhoea. These pioneering efforts marked him out as one of the first surgeons to adopt a scientific approach to his work. George Bell had a brother, Joseph, who was also a Fellow and his son, Benjamin, was President of the College from 1863 to 1865. That Benjamin's son was Joseph Bell. From 1771 until 1911 there was always a Benjamin or a Joseph Bell on the Roll of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh: this family of Bells, however, is not related to Sir Charles Bell.

Production periodNineteenth century (early)

Object nameGeorge Bell (1777-1832), Portrait

Object categoryArtworks

MaterialOil, Canvas

Dimensions

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