A lost diary of the last days of Sir James Young Simpson, the Scottish physician who discovered the anaesthetic properties of chloroform, has surfaced in a charity bookshop. It reveals for the first time that Sir James was treated with chloroform himself – lying in pain on his deathbed, 23 years after he announced his discovery. The diary, titled "Notes about the Last Illness of Sir James Y Simpson", was written by his nephew, the Edinburgh lawyer, Robert Simpson. Its final entry, beginning “slowly sinking”, records the death on 6 May, 1870, of the man whose discovery of a powerful anaesthetic revolutionised surgery worldwide.

“While aunt and I were whispering together we heard a longer drawn sigh than usual, and saw that he was dying”, Robert Simpson wrote “Aunt rang the bell for the others to come up. I moistened his lips and whilst the others came in his spirit passed away. No struggle, no pain. ”The diary was in a donation of books handed in anonymously at the Shelter Bookshop in Stockbridge, Edinburgh.The importance of the plain, clothbound lined notebook was spotted by a Shelter manager. It has now been bought for just £200 by the library of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh to add to its Simpson collection. Iain Milne, the RCPE librarian, said: “We were delighted this fascinating diary has been found. It offers a very personal account of Sir James’s last days. We are indebted to the Shelter Bookshop for spotting it, recognising its importance and bringing it to our attention. ”Sir James was born in Bathgate [West Lothian, Scotland] in 1811 and went to Edinburgh University at the age of 14, where he later became professor of midwifery and one of the founders of modern obstetrics and gynaecology. He introduced chloroform in 1847, and its use became widespread, particularly after Queen Victoria was treated with it in childbirth. The diary begins in February 1870, when Sir James fell ill on his return from a trip to London [England]. It does not clear up the mystery of what killed him at 52 Queen Street [Edinburgh, Scotland].

“Besides Dr Wood, who was the family doctor, Dr Moir and Dr Coghill saw uncle daily,” says a diary note from April. “Also Dr Munro was short time. Dr Begbie saw uncle several times and I know uncle appreciated his visitors. All the doctors exceedingly kind.”On 10 April, Robert Simpson wrote: “Went to see uncle before going to church. Rather worse… Dr Munro was giving him a little chloroform to allay pain. ”Mr Milne said: “I am quite surprised to see chloroform used in these circumstances. ”The diary tells of the extensive Bible readings Sir James was given during his illness. It shows how the nephew recognised his uncle as a worldwide medical celebrity. It touchingly records how Sir James’s elder brother, Robert Simpson’s father, sat up with him through the night. Chloroform gave way to other anaesthetic drugs, particularly because it was difficult to estimate a safe dosage. But as its use spread beyond childbirth to medical operations it paved the way for modern surgery to develop. Sir James’s funeral was a day of public mourning in Edinburgh and 2,000 people followed his hearse.

The interest here lies in the fact that James Young Simpson (1811 - 1870) was a Scottish Freemason. Details of other Famous Scottish Freemasons will be made available on this site - Ed.