Torriano, Charles Edward (1833-1908)

Note-book containing notes of lectures on military subjects, artillery, explosives, etc. With a fragment of a Diary from 21st to 30th July, 1855, written at Artillery Headquarters of the British Army in the Crimea, mentioning Charles Gordon and 'Trench-fever'. Compiler's holograph MS. Illustrated with small sketches of artillery, etc., in ink and in pencil. The diary is written partly in pencil and partly in ink. Early in the entry for July 28th, 1855, the compiler writes: 'Charlie Gordon of the Engineers called, he says mot of his people are suffering from Trench fever'. Charles George Gordon [1833-1885] was wounded in the trenches before Sebastopol in 1855, and took part in the attack on the Redan later in the same year [see the Dictionary of National Biography]. According to the O.E.D., Supplement 1926, the earliest use of the phrase 'Trench fever' was in the 'Lancet' 25/9/1915.

1850-1859

1 volume 66 ll. obl. 8vo. 12 × 19 cm. Original quarter-calf binding.

Purchased 1931.

The compiler was a Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery and served in the Crimea, and later (1858) in the Indian Mutiny.

Database description transcribed from S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).