The Real Life Sherlock Holmes: A Biography of Joseph Bell (The True Inspiration of Sherlock Holmes and the Pioneer of Forensic Science)
How did Sir Arthur Conan Doyle create a character so real and life-like? In a nutshell: he didn't! As is often the case, fiction stems from real life. In the case of Sherlock Holmes, Doyle's inspiration was Joseph Bell.
While Joseph Bell doesn't have near the fame of his fictitious counterpart, Bell was actually a pioneer of forensic science. Bell's unique skills at observation and deduction made him a celebrity and famous lecturer in his homeland of Scotland. This book traces the life and times of one of the most important, but largely overlooked, scientists who ever lived.
While Joseph Bell doesn't have near the fame of his fictitious counterpart, Bell was actually a pioneer of forensic science. Bell's unique skills at observation and deduction made him a celebrity and famous lecturer in his homeland of Scotland. This book traces the life and times of one of the most important, but largely overlooked, scientists who ever lived.
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Excerpt
Introduction
When you think of Sherlock Holmes, you mainly think of a lanky aristocratic detective, smoking a pipe, draped in an Inverness cape and wearing a deerstalker cap, with his trusty magnifying glass in hand. While Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's beloved sleuth was known to use logic and forensic science in solving mysteries, there's much more to the story behind the inspiration of Sherlock Holmes. Doyle himself attributes his creation of Holmes to Doctor Joseph Bell, a celebrated forensic pathologist, physician and professor of medicine, revered for his unique skills at observation and deduction, whom Doyle once studied under when he toyed with the idea of becoming a doctor himself.
Chapter 1: Childhood and Education
Some would say Joseph Bell was destined to be a surgeon, as he certainly had science in his blood. He was the great-grandson of Benjamin Bell (1749-1806), considered one of the first major scientific surgeons. In fact, it was Benjamin Bell’s six volume textbook, A System of Surgery, published in 1778 that helped set the standard for modern-day surgery. The book was widely popular and considered a Bible of surgical knowledge at the University of Edinburgh and other medical schools throughout Europe; by today's standards, the book is still referred to in some medical schools.
Joseph's great-grandfather was also noted for categorizing syphilis and gonorrhea as two completely separate diseases—a classification that would take the medical community decades to accept. A contributor in promoting wound healing, especially in terms of amputation, Benjamin Bell’s Theory and Management of Ulcers (1778) is still considered one of the classic 18th century physiological texts.
This penchant for science and surgery would be handed down through many generations. Several of Bell's descendants, especially his son Joseph and his grandson Benjamin (Joseph's father) were also surgeons in Edinburgh. Like Joseph Bell himself, both of them eventually became president of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
Not much information exists about Joseph Bell's early life. He was born in Edinburgh on December 2, 1837 and raised in a deeply religious household. Much of Bell's religious faith would be inspired by his father's involvement with the Free Church, a Christian denomination with no government or state ties. Bell's father was adamant that young Joe be given a strict religious education and made a point of instructing him and his younger siblings on all things Biblical. A regular churchgoer, religion would clearly be an important factor for Bell throughout his life. Bell would continually refer to the Bible, both in terms of his personal life, as well as in his endeavors to help the less fortunate by donating to various charities throughout his career. He was also fascinated by nature, especially flowers and gardens, and was known to have had a penchant for planting and growing flowers as a young boy.
In 1843, Bell attended school for the first time at Mr. Macdonal's school. Unhappy with the education Joe was receiving, his parents transferred him to the Circus Place School in 1845 and then to Mr. Oliphant's school. At the age of 10, Bell entered the Edinburgh Academy, where remained until he was 17, studying such topics as Latin, Greek, French, German, Scripture, ancient history and English literature and criticism.
Bell's instructors at the Edinburgh Academy ranged from supportive to downright brutal. The Academy's math instructor, James Gloag, had a Dickensian reputation for being physically abusive to his students; he would beat them with a tawse (a leather strap with cut ends that resembled a cat o' nine tails). Quick-tempered and impatient with any pranks in his classroom, Gloag would often single out a student whom he felt was troublesome or interrupting his lessons and beat the child harshly. Back then this type of corporal punishment was rather commonplace; today, the teacher would be arrested for child abuse. While many students fell victim to Gloag’s whippings, Bell escaped virtually unscathed, due largely to his studious habits.
Not all of Bell’s experiences with teachers at The Academy were bad, however. Bell developed a strong bond with his Classics instructor, D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson. Far from the strict martinet that Gloag was, Thompson felt that whipping students did nothing to help encourage a student's education. Instead, he greatly respected his students, treating them as young adults, instead of young minds that didn’t know any better. Thompson was so affected by the death of one of his students who had been falling behind in Latin, that he would go out of his way to help any of his students however he could. Bell appreciated and admired these characteristics, and would come to adopt them himself in later years, particularly in his work with children's welfare.
Bell was a good student and excelled in biblical scholarship, Greek, geography and math. Thin as he was (he’s often remembered as a scrawny young boy with a wild mane of black hair), he was energetic and quite athletic. He often played the popular Scottish game of Hailes—a mix of shinty, which is similar to field hockey, and lacrosse. Bell was also a fine tennis player.
He also had a penchant for game hunting and spent much of his younger years in pursuit of critters, such as rabbits, hares, partridges and pheasants. In later years, Bell would become more of an observer rather than participant in sports, and his fascination would turn more towards the mechanics of boxing, cricket and football (soccer).
After completing his studies at Edinburgh Academy, Bell knew, like his ancestors before him, that he would enter the medical profession. The only question was where would he study? He debated at first whether to get his training in London or Paris, but in the end, the school that beckoned to him most was the University of Leyden in Holland.
At the time, the University of Leyden was one of Europe's most highly respected universities, home to such prestigious alumni as Philosopher René Descartes and US President John Quincy Adams. Bell’s love affair with the school would not last long, however, as he soon found himself homesick, missing the comforts and familiarity of his hometown. Knowing that the University of Edinburgh had gradually developed a reputation as one of the top medical universities in Europe, he arranged for a transfer and chose to pursue his studies close to where he grew up.
The University of Edinburgh’s progressive and philanthropic programs suited Bell well, and it’s likely that his time there helped shape the direction he would later follow in his career. The university was home to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, a teaching hospital, which offered students the ability to train and improve their medical know-how. The hospital also cared for destitute women, and students had the option to learn about midwifery and child care. The university’s Public Lunatic Asylum was unique for its time, emphasizing the importance of treating patients with care and compassion, rather than mistreatment and neglect, which was what the mentally ill often received.
Aside from studying medicine, Bell also had a passing interest in literature, and dabbled in poetry throughout his life, his poems often revolving around nature and religious themes. He was extremely fond of the novels and poetry of his fellow Scotsman Sir Walter Scott, whose historical novels, such as Ivanhoe and Rob Roy are considered adventure classics, and the celebrated poet Robert Browning (Bells and Pomegranates). Both of these writers would greatly serve as a springboard for his future literary attempts.
As a medical student, Bell worked in the infirmary under Dr. James Syme as a dresser, or teacher's assistant, assisting Syme in surgical procedures, making sure the operating room was set up properly and managing the quality of surgical dressings. Syme was considered a medical pioneer in regards to his style of clinical teaching, which allowed for students to closely observe operations in the classroom. Syme grew very fond of Bell and the two developed a friendship that would last for decades. Bell adhered to Syme's philosophy that one must have complete knowledge of anatomy in order to perform surgery, which he would pass on to his own students in later years. Bell's tenure in Syme's medical wards would greatly influence not only his knowledge of surgical procedures, but help give him the confidence to perfect his own teaching style.
Bell graduated in 1859 from the University of Edinburgh at the age of 21. From this point on his career took off at a rather rapid rate. He was brought on to serve as Syme's medical assistant and house surgeon at the Royal Edinburgh Infirmary not long after he graduated. His thesis, “On Epithetical Cancer”, received numerous accolades from the university's medical faculty. In turn, he was appointed Demonstrator of Anatomy at the university by professor John Goodsir, the university’s chair of Anatomy. Bell would hold this position for two years, which was just the first step in a long and highly respected career.
Bell became a member of the Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh shortly after graduation in 1859. Throughout his life, Bell would write several textbooks and medical papers, the first of which was his monograph “Pulsating Tumour in Orbit Cured by Ligature of the Common Carotid”, which was published in the Edinburgh Medical Journal in 1860.
In addition to Bell's love of gardens, he was also fascinated by architecture and home design. He wrote an article about different styles of homes that was published in Cornhill Magazine in 1860, a highly respected literary journal of the time, one that held novelist William Makepeace Thackeray as its editor. Bell's flirtation with architectural writing did not last long though, as this appears to be the only article of this kind that he ever wrote.
As Bell was embarking on his career in lecturing on surgery and pathology, as well as sowing the seeds of an interest in forensics that would eventually make him famous, he met Edith Erskine Murray, whom he courted and was engaged to in 1862. Edith was a beautiful woman, but it wasn’t just her beauty that he found appealing though; like Bell, Edith was extremely kind-hearted. The two shared a devotion to religion, as well as many philanthropic tendencies.
Soon after meeting, the couple became inseparable. Whereas Bell was known to be quite gregarious, Edith was the opposite, her shy nature fading only with Bell and his family. Their engagement would last several years, as Joe was immersed in the start of his teaching career. They married on April 17, 1865. The couple would have three children: Jean, Cecilia and Benjamin.
When you think of Sherlock Holmes, you mainly think of a lanky aristocratic detective, smoking a pipe, draped in an Inverness cape and wearing a deerstalker cap, with his trusty magnifying glass in hand. While Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's beloved sleuth was known to use logic and forensic science in solving mysteries, there's much more to the story behind the inspiration of Sherlock Holmes. Doyle himself attributes his creation of Holmes to Doctor Joseph Bell, a celebrated forensic pathologist, physician and professor of medicine, revered for his unique skills at observation and deduction, whom Doyle once studied under when he toyed with the idea of becoming a doctor himself.
Chapter 1: Childhood and Education
Some would say Joseph Bell was destined to be a surgeon, as he certainly had science in his blood. He was the great-grandson of Benjamin Bell (1749-1806), considered one of the first major scientific surgeons. In fact, it was Benjamin Bell’s six volume textbook, A System of Surgery, published in 1778 that helped set the standard for modern-day surgery. The book was widely popular and considered a Bible of surgical knowledge at the University of Edinburgh and other medical schools throughout Europe; by today's standards, the book is still referred to in some medical schools.
Joseph's great-grandfather was also noted for categorizing syphilis and gonorrhea as two completely separate diseases—a classification that would take the medical community decades to accept. A contributor in promoting wound healing, especially in terms of amputation, Benjamin Bell’s Theory and Management of Ulcers (1778) is still considered one of the classic 18th century physiological texts.
This penchant for science and surgery would be handed down through many generations. Several of Bell's descendants, especially his son Joseph and his grandson Benjamin (Joseph's father) were also surgeons in Edinburgh. Like Joseph Bell himself, both of them eventually became president of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
Not much information exists about Joseph Bell's early life. He was born in Edinburgh on December 2, 1837 and raised in a deeply religious household. Much of Bell's religious faith would be inspired by his father's involvement with the Free Church, a Christian denomination with no government or state ties. Bell's father was adamant that young Joe be given a strict religious education and made a point of instructing him and his younger siblings on all things Biblical. A regular churchgoer, religion would clearly be an important factor for Bell throughout his life. Bell would continually refer to the Bible, both in terms of his personal life, as well as in his endeavors to help the less fortunate by donating to various charities throughout his career. He was also fascinated by nature, especially flowers and gardens, and was known to have had a penchant for planting and growing flowers as a young boy.
In 1843, Bell attended school for the first time at Mr. Macdonal's school. Unhappy with the education Joe was receiving, his parents transferred him to the Circus Place School in 1845 and then to Mr. Oliphant's school. At the age of 10, Bell entered the Edinburgh Academy, where remained until he was 17, studying such topics as Latin, Greek, French, German, Scripture, ancient history and English literature and criticism.
Bell's instructors at the Edinburgh Academy ranged from supportive to downright brutal. The Academy's math instructor, James Gloag, had a Dickensian reputation for being physically abusive to his students; he would beat them with a tawse (a leather strap with cut ends that resembled a cat o' nine tails). Quick-tempered and impatient with any pranks in his classroom, Gloag would often single out a student whom he felt was troublesome or interrupting his lessons and beat the child harshly. Back then this type of corporal punishment was rather commonplace; today, the teacher would be arrested for child abuse. While many students fell victim to Gloag’s whippings, Bell escaped virtually unscathed, due largely to his studious habits.
Not all of Bell’s experiences with teachers at The Academy were bad, however. Bell developed a strong bond with his Classics instructor, D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson. Far from the strict martinet that Gloag was, Thompson felt that whipping students did nothing to help encourage a student's education. Instead, he greatly respected his students, treating them as young adults, instead of young minds that didn’t know any better. Thompson was so affected by the death of one of his students who had been falling behind in Latin, that he would go out of his way to help any of his students however he could. Bell appreciated and admired these characteristics, and would come to adopt them himself in later years, particularly in his work with children's welfare.
Bell was a good student and excelled in biblical scholarship, Greek, geography and math. Thin as he was (he’s often remembered as a scrawny young boy with a wild mane of black hair), he was energetic and quite athletic. He often played the popular Scottish game of Hailes—a mix of shinty, which is similar to field hockey, and lacrosse. Bell was also a fine tennis player.
He also had a penchant for game hunting and spent much of his younger years in pursuit of critters, such as rabbits, hares, partridges and pheasants. In later years, Bell would become more of an observer rather than participant in sports, and his fascination would turn more towards the mechanics of boxing, cricket and football (soccer).
After completing his studies at Edinburgh Academy, Bell knew, like his ancestors before him, that he would enter the medical profession. The only question was where would he study? He debated at first whether to get his training in London or Paris, but in the end, the school that beckoned to him most was the University of Leyden in Holland.
At the time, the University of Leyden was one of Europe's most highly respected universities, home to such prestigious alumni as Philosopher René Descartes and US President John Quincy Adams. Bell’s love affair with the school would not last long, however, as he soon found himself homesick, missing the comforts and familiarity of his hometown. Knowing that the University of Edinburgh had gradually developed a reputation as one of the top medical universities in Europe, he arranged for a transfer and chose to pursue his studies close to where he grew up.
The University of Edinburgh’s progressive and philanthropic programs suited Bell well, and it’s likely that his time there helped shape the direction he would later follow in his career. The university was home to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, a teaching hospital, which offered students the ability to train and improve their medical know-how. The hospital also cared for destitute women, and students had the option to learn about midwifery and child care. The university’s Public Lunatic Asylum was unique for its time, emphasizing the importance of treating patients with care and compassion, rather than mistreatment and neglect, which was what the mentally ill often received.
Aside from studying medicine, Bell also had a passing interest in literature, and dabbled in poetry throughout his life, his poems often revolving around nature and religious themes. He was extremely fond of the novels and poetry of his fellow Scotsman Sir Walter Scott, whose historical novels, such as Ivanhoe and Rob Roy are considered adventure classics, and the celebrated poet Robert Browning (Bells and Pomegranates). Both of these writers would greatly serve as a springboard for his future literary attempts.
As a medical student, Bell worked in the infirmary under Dr. James Syme as a dresser, or teacher's assistant, assisting Syme in surgical procedures, making sure the operating room was set up properly and managing the quality of surgical dressings. Syme was considered a medical pioneer in regards to his style of clinical teaching, which allowed for students to closely observe operations in the classroom. Syme grew very fond of Bell and the two developed a friendship that would last for decades. Bell adhered to Syme's philosophy that one must have complete knowledge of anatomy in order to perform surgery, which he would pass on to his own students in later years. Bell's tenure in Syme's medical wards would greatly influence not only his knowledge of surgical procedures, but help give him the confidence to perfect his own teaching style.
Bell graduated in 1859 from the University of Edinburgh at the age of 21. From this point on his career took off at a rather rapid rate. He was brought on to serve as Syme's medical assistant and house surgeon at the Royal Edinburgh Infirmary not long after he graduated. His thesis, “On Epithetical Cancer”, received numerous accolades from the university's medical faculty. In turn, he was appointed Demonstrator of Anatomy at the university by professor John Goodsir, the university’s chair of Anatomy. Bell would hold this position for two years, which was just the first step in a long and highly respected career.
Bell became a member of the Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh shortly after graduation in 1859. Throughout his life, Bell would write several textbooks and medical papers, the first of which was his monograph “Pulsating Tumour in Orbit Cured by Ligature of the Common Carotid”, which was published in the Edinburgh Medical Journal in 1860.
In addition to Bell's love of gardens, he was also fascinated by architecture and home design. He wrote an article about different styles of homes that was published in Cornhill Magazine in 1860, a highly respected literary journal of the time, one that held novelist William Makepeace Thackeray as its editor. Bell's flirtation with architectural writing did not last long though, as this appears to be the only article of this kind that he ever wrote.
As Bell was embarking on his career in lecturing on surgery and pathology, as well as sowing the seeds of an interest in forensics that would eventually make him famous, he met Edith Erskine Murray, whom he courted and was engaged to in 1862. Edith was a beautiful woman, but it wasn’t just her beauty that he found appealing though; like Bell, Edith was extremely kind-hearted. The two shared a devotion to religion, as well as many philanthropic tendencies.
Soon after meeting, the couple became inseparable. Whereas Bell was known to be quite gregarious, Edith was the opposite, her shy nature fading only with Bell and his family. Their engagement would last several years, as Joe was immersed in the start of his teaching career. They married on April 17, 1865. The couple would have three children: Jean, Cecilia and Benjamin.
