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Description

A woman of Fishamble Street in Dublin unintentionally swallowed an ivory bodkin. The bodkin ultimately passed to her bladder, and Proby attempted to remove it by the same method that was used for removing bladder stones. The account was witnessed by T [Thomas] Molyneux, Wm [William] Smith, and G Blackall, as well as by the mark of Dorcas Blake.

Subject: Surgery

Published in Philosophical Transactions as 'A relation of the cutting an ivory bodkin out of the bladder of a young woman in Dublin, by Mr. Proby; communicated by Dr. Thomas Molyneux, F. R. S.'.

Communicated by Thomas Molyneux. Read to the Royal Society on 6 November 1695.

Reference number
CLP/12i/58
Earliest possible date
1695
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
3 pages
Format
Manuscript

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Citation

Paper, 'A relation of the cutting of an ivory bodkin out of the bladder of a young woman' by Thomas Proby, 1695, CLP/12i/58, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_12i_58/paper-a-relation-of-the-cutting-of-an-ivory-bodkin-out-of-the-bladder-of-a-young-woman-by-thomas-proby, accessed on 16 June 2026

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  • Classified Papers

    The 'Classified Papers' of the Royal Society are papers from British and international natural philosophers and scholars categorised according to subject areas.

    Dates: 1592 - 1741

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