Charles White (physician)
Encyclopedia
Charles White FRS (4 October 1728 – 20 February 1813) was an English physician and a co-founder of the Manchester Royal Infirmary
, along with local industrialist Joseph Bancroft. White was an able and innovative surgeon who made significant contributions in the field of obstetrics
.
White kept the mummified body of one of his female patients in a room of his house in Sale
for 55 years, probably at least partly because she had a morbid fear of being mistakenly buried alive.
, England, on 4 October 1728, the only son of Thomas White, a surgeon and man-midwife, and his wife Rosamond. After being educated by the Reverend Radcliffe Russell, White joined his father's practice as an apprentice, in about 1742. He subsequently studied medicine in London under the obstetrician William Hunter
, before completing his studies in Edinburgh and rejoining his father's practice as a surgeon and man-midwife.
in 1760 describing his successful treatment of a fractured arm by reuniting the ends of the broken bone. In 1762, the year he became a fellow of the society, he presented another paper, on the use of sponges to stop bleeding. He became a member of the Company of Surgeons
that same year.
White was also highly regarded in the field of obstetrics
. His influential book, Treatise on the Management of Pregnant and Lying-in Women, was published in 1773, in which he recommended that women should give birth naturally, and that the delivery should not be assisted until the baby's shoulders had been expelled. He also advised mothers to get out of bed as soon as possible after giving birth, and strongly advocated cleanliness and ventilation.
He defended the controversial theory that "All organisms are arranged in a static chain of being, rising through small gradations from plants to animals to humans". He argued that non-white races were inferior and closer to the primitive due to their skin pigmentation, and that women resembled the darker races because their bodies revealed areas of darker pigmentation: "the areola round the nipple, the pudenda, and the verge of the anus", especially as seen in pregnant women.
, which led to his blindness a few years later. He died at his home in Sale
, on 20 February 1813.
The incident made John's sister, Hannah Beswick
, fearful that she might accidentally be buried alive. Following Hannah's death in 1758 White had her embalmed, although it has been suggested that her instructions to him were only that she should be kept above ground until it was obvious that she was dead. White kept Hannah's mummified body in a room in his home in Sale
, where it was stored in an old clock case. Following his death in 1813, Hannah's mummified body was eventually donated to the Museum of the Manchester Natural History Society
, where she became known as the Manchester Mummy, or the Mummy of Birchin Bower. Her body was put on display in the museum's entrance hall, described by one visitor in 1844 as "one of the most remarkable objects in the museum".
Following the museum's transfer to Manchester University in 1867, and with the permission of the Bishop of Manchester
, Hannah was buried in an unmarked grave in Harpurhey
Cemetery on 22 July 1868.
, the idea that different races had been created separately. His Account of the Regular Gradation in Man (1799) provided the empirical science for polygenism. White defended the theory of polygeny by refuting French naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
's interfertility argument – the theory that only the same species can interbreed – pointing to species hybrids such as foxes, wolves and jackals, which were separate groups that were still able to interbreed. For White each race was a separate species, divinely created for its own geographical region.
Manchester Royal Infirmary
The Manchester Royal Infirmary is a hospital in Manchester, England which was founded by Charles White in 1752 as a cottage hospital capable of caring for twelve patients. Manchester Royal Infirmary is part of a larger NHS Trust incorporating several hospitals called Central Manchester University...
, along with local industrialist Joseph Bancroft. White was an able and innovative surgeon who made significant contributions in the field of obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
.
White kept the mummified body of one of his female patients in a room of his house in Sale
Sale, Greater Manchester
Sale is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Historically part of Cheshire, the town lies on flat ground on the south bank of the River Mersey, south of Stretford, northeast of Altrincham, and southwest of the city of Manchester...
for 55 years, probably at least partly because she had a morbid fear of being mistakenly buried alive.
Early life
White was born in ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England, on 4 October 1728, the only son of Thomas White, a surgeon and man-midwife, and his wife Rosamond. After being educated by the Reverend Radcliffe Russell, White joined his father's practice as an apprentice, in about 1742. He subsequently studied medicine in London under the obstetrician William Hunter
William Hunter (anatomist)
William Hunter FRS was a Scottish anatomist and physician. He was a leading teacher of anatomy, and the outstanding obstetrician of his day...
, before completing his studies in Edinburgh and rejoining his father's practice as a surgeon and man-midwife.
Career
From the 1750s onwards, White became increasingly recognised as an able and innovative surgeon. He presented a paper to the Royal SocietyRoyal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1760 describing his successful treatment of a fractured arm by reuniting the ends of the broken bone. In 1762, the year he became a fellow of the society, he presented another paper, on the use of sponges to stop bleeding. He became a member of the Company of Surgeons
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
that same year.
White was also highly regarded in the field of obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
. His influential book, Treatise on the Management of Pregnant and Lying-in Women, was published in 1773, in which he recommended that women should give birth naturally, and that the delivery should not be assisted until the baby's shoulders had been expelled. He also advised mothers to get out of bed as soon as possible after giving birth, and strongly advocated cleanliness and ventilation.
He defended the controversial theory that "All organisms are arranged in a static chain of being, rising through small gradations from plants to animals to humans". He argued that non-white races were inferior and closer to the primitive due to their skin pigmentation, and that women resembled the darker races because their bodies revealed areas of darker pigmentation: "the areola round the nipple, the pudenda, and the verge of the anus", especially as seen in pregnant women.
Manchester Royal Infirmary
White co-founded the Manchester Royal Infirmary with local industrialist Joseph Bancroft in 1752, and was an honorary surgeon there until 1790.Family and later life
In 1757 White married Ann Bradshaw, whose father had been a high sheriff for the county of Lancaster. They had eight children, four sons and four daughters. In 1803 White suffered an attack of ophthalmiaOphthalmia
Ophthalmia is inflammation of the eye. It is a medical sign which may be indicative of various conditions, including sympathetic ophthalmia , gonococcal ophthalmia, trachoma or "Egyptian" ophthalmia, ophthalmia neonatorum ,...
, which led to his blindness a few years later. He died at his home in Sale
Sale, Greater Manchester
Sale is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Historically part of Cheshire, the town lies on flat ground on the south bank of the River Mersey, south of Stretford, northeast of Altrincham, and southwest of the city of Manchester...
, on 20 February 1813.
Manchester Mummy
White was the family physician present at the burial of John Beswick, at which a mourner noticed that John's eyelids were flickering, just as his coffin lid was about to be closed; White confirmed that John was still alive. The supposed corpse regained consciousness a few days later, and lived for many more years.The incident made John's sister, Hannah Beswick
Manchester Mummy
Hannah Beswick , of Birchin Bower, Hollinwood, Oldham, England, was a wealthy woman who had a pathological fear of premature burial...
, fearful that she might accidentally be buried alive. Following Hannah's death in 1758 White had her embalmed, although it has been suggested that her instructions to him were only that she should be kept above ground until it was obvious that she was dead. White kept Hannah's mummified body in a room in his home in Sale
Sale, Greater Manchester
Sale is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Historically part of Cheshire, the town lies on flat ground on the south bank of the River Mersey, south of Stretford, northeast of Altrincham, and southwest of the city of Manchester...
, where it was stored in an old clock case. Following his death in 1813, Hannah's mummified body was eventually donated to the Museum of the Manchester Natural History Society
Manchester Museum
The Manchester Museum is owned by the University of Manchester. Sited on Oxford Road at the heart of the university's group of neo-Gothic buildings, it provides access to about six million items from every continent and serves both as a resource for academic research and teaching and as a regional...
, where she became known as the Manchester Mummy, or the Mummy of Birchin Bower. Her body was put on display in the museum's entrance hall, described by one visitor in 1844 as "one of the most remarkable objects in the museum".
Following the museum's transfer to Manchester University in 1867, and with the permission of the Bishop of Manchester
Bishop of Manchester
The Bishop of Manchester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Manchester in the Province of York.The current bishop is the Right Reverend Nigel McCulloch, the 11th Lord Bishop of Manchester, who signs Nigel Manchester. The bishop's official residence is Bishopscourt, Bury New Road,...
, Hannah was buried in an unmarked grave in Harpurhey
Harpurhey
-Landmarks:Harpurhey Edwardian Swimming Baths, situated on Rochdale Road was built between 1909-10 by Henry Price, Manchester's first City Architect. Listed grade II in, the baths were closed to the public in 2001 after serious defects were discovered and the entrance building is currently being...
Cemetery on 22 July 1868.
Polygenism
White was a believer in polygenismPolygenism
Polygenism is a theory of human origins positing that the human races are of different lineages . This is opposite to the idea of monogenism, which posits a single origin of humanity.- Origins :...
, the idea that different races had been created separately. His Account of the Regular Gradation in Man (1799) provided the empirical science for polygenism. White defended the theory of polygeny by refuting French naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon was a French naturalist, mathematician, cosmologist, and encyclopedic author.His works influenced the next two generations of naturalists, including Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and Georges Cuvier...
's interfertility argument – the theory that only the same species can interbreed – pointing to species hybrids such as foxes, wolves and jackals, which were separate groups that were still able to interbreed. For White each race was a separate species, divinely created for its own geographical region.