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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Paper, account of Richard Castell's child who died of smallpox by Conrad Sprengell [Sprengwell], Alexander Gordon, John Ranby, and Richard Castell

Reference number: CLP/12ii/50

Date: 02 April 1730

Description

The paper describes the autopsy of Castell's three-year-old child who died two weeks after being innoculated for smallpox. He was found to have a large amount of water in the abdomen, tumours in the mesenterium, and an inflamed liver and kidneys. The account was witnessed by Conrad Sprengwell, Alexander Gordon, John Ranby, and Richard Castell.

Subject: Medicine

Written at Broadstreet [Broad Street], Golden Square [Soho, London]. Read to the Royal Society on 18 June 1730.

Reference number
CLP/12ii/50
Earliest possible date
02 April 1730
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
2 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator names

Conrad Joachim Sprengwell

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John Ranby

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Citation

Conrad Joachim Sprengwell, John Ranby, Paper, account of Richard Castell's child who died of smallpox by Conrad Sprengell [Sprengwell], Alexander Gordon, John Ranby, and Richard Castell, 02 April 1730, CLP/12ii/50, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_12ii_50/paper-account-of-richard-castells-child-who-died-of-smallpox-by-conrad-sprengell-sprengwell-alexander-gordon-john-ranby-and-richard-castell, accessed on 20 July 2025

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https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_12ii_50/paper-account-of-richard-castells-child-who-died-of-smallpox-by-conrad-sprengell-sprengwell-alexander-gordon-john-ranby-and-richard-castell

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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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