Text Online
From:
William Bowman
To:
Michael Faraday
Date:
15 December 1857
Source of text:
RI MS Conybeare Album, f.31
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Faraday Project
From:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
31 Jan [1863]
Source of text:
Sir John Paget Bowman (private collection)
Summary:
Will supply CD with information "as far as my knowledge extends".
Suggests CD visit him.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
Date:
10 Mar [1863]
Source of text:
American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.)
Summary:
Will send portion of copied manuscript [of Variation 2: 8–10] for WB to examine. Asks about inherited abnormalities of the eye.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
Date:
30 July [1865?]
Source of text:
American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.301)
Summary:
Thanks WB for his note, states that it will be taken care of on the publication of CD’s book [Variation].
Mentions loss of many months owing to illness.
Thanks WB for favour to CD’s son.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
Date:
26 Sept [1866]
Source of text:
Roy Davids Ltd (dealer) (1996)
Summary:
Thanks WB for his paper ["Address in surgery", Br. Med. J. (1866): 186–97, read at British Medical Association annual meeting, 9 Aug 1866].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
5 Oct 1866
Source of text:
DAR 160: 266
Summary:
Is pleased CD approved of his effort ["Address in surgery", see 5219] in which he alluded to CD’s views.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
Date:
30 July [1867]
Source of text:
DAR 261.11: 8 (EH 8820 6060)
Summary:
Plans to write a book on expression. Questions WB on orbicular muscle in screaming infant and function of muscle contractions in looking at a distant object.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
5 Aug 1867
Source of text:
DAR 160: 267 (fragile)
Summary:
Supposes that infants’ eyes bulge and become engorged with blood during fits of sneezing or screaming, but doubts Charles Bell’s experiment of opening and observing eyes turn from pale to red [Anatomy and philosophy of expression (1844)].
Discusses the action of the eye when looking at distant objects.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
Date:
7 Aug [1867]
Source of text:
DAR 261.11: 10 (EH 88206062)
Summary:
Thanks for reply to queries. Spectroscope an instance of unimagined glorious prospects of science.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
1 Feb 1868
Source of text:
Sir John Paget Bowman (private collection)
Summary:
Thanks CD for the gift of his new work [Variation].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
Date:
30 Mar [1868]
Source of text:
Doris Harris Autographs (dealer) (no date)
Summary:
Clarifies his earlier query on Bell’s observations. Seeks confirmation of Bell’s statement that the conjunctiva of a child whose eyes are opened forcibly during a screaming fit become engorged with blood. CD has noted a relationship between contraction of the orbicular muscle and secretion of tears; can WB explain why they appear related?
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
1 Apr [1868]
Source of text:
DAR 160: 268
Summary:
Asks for precise reference in Charles Bell to subject of CD’s question. Agrees to assist CD’s investigation. Asks about Bell’s observations on eyes engorged with blood. Has noticed that eyes of children with excessive photophobia tend to be pale when forced open.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
Date:
2 Apr [1868]
Source of text:
DAR 249: 72 (photocopy)
Summary:
Gives Charles Bell’s explanation of the contraction of the orbicularis during screaming and seeks confirmation of his view because the action is "the key-stone of a whole class of expressions". Curious to learn WB’s conclusion in regard to the relation between contraction of the orbicularis and secretion of tears. Notes that voluntary contraction of the orbicularis causes no tears.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
Date:
16 May [1869-81]
Source of text:
George Houle Autographs (dealer) (Catalogue 61, March 1992)
Summary:
"I shall not be in London on Monday, but I have written to my Brother to ask him to aid you"
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
3 Sept [1869]
Source of text:
American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.)
Summary:
Asks whether he may come with F. C. Donders to visit CD.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
Date:
[before 26] Jan [1871]
Source of text:
American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.)
Summary:
Sends enclosure copied from letter of F. C. Donders [7207?] dealing with orbicular muscle. Asks about secretion of tears resulting from spasmodic action of orbicular muscle.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
26 Jan 1871
Source of text:
DAR 160: 269
Summary:
Reports his observations on the concurrence of orbicular muscle spasms, engorgement of eyes with blood, and formation of tears.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[before 25 Jan 1872]
Source of text:
DAR 160: 265
Summary:
Gives lengthy details from his medical experience on how structural and other changes in the parts of the eye are related to lacrimation.
Mentions belief in CD’s views.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
Date:
25 Jan 1872
Source of text:
American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.)
Summary:
Discusses role of orbicular muscle and distended veins in eye in secretion of tears. Asks WB’s opinion.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
Date:
8 Apr [1872]
Source of text:
Sir John Paget Bowman (private collection)
Summary:
Asks to borrow "Sölberg Wells, Treatise on the Diseases of the Eye 1869" referred to by F. C. Donders.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project