Widespread cancer in a 50-year old man with fatal bronchopneumonia: detail sections of (a) left kidney, with fungus like growths, (b) left heart showing metastases nodules, and (c) right heart encompassed in yellow tumours. Watercolour by Barbara E. Nicholson, 1951.

Ashford, Middlesex, 1951.

1 painting : watercolour, with gouache ; sheet 24.2 x 32.5 cm

Barbara Evelyn Nicholson (1906 – 1978) trained at the Royal College of Art, graduating in 1923. She began her artistic career as a medical illustrator and was a founder member of the Medical Artists Association, where she is recorded as serving on an exhibition committee in October 1949. By 1951, she had illustrated G.F. Gibberd, A short textbook of midwifery (2nd ed., London: J. & A. Churchill, 1941) and Philip Wiles, Essentials of orthopaedics (London: J. & A. Churchill, 1949). The Medical Artists Association records last list her, in 1951. In the 1950s her focus moved to botanical subjects and from the late 1950s – 1970s she was a prolific botanical illustrator.

Left kidney, r<ight>; l<eft> ventricle, r<ight> atrium, triscupid valve Lettering inscribed in black ink as key, typed accompanying note with patient history states that patient was admitted with retention of urine. Widespread metastases were found in both adrenals, abdominal lymph nodes,lung and skeletal muscles Bears number: 257/1951

The watercolours and pen and ink drawings held by Wellcome Collection were painted by Barbara Nicholson at Ashford Hospital, Ashford, Middlesex, between 1946 and 1951, at the request of the surgeon Norman Matheson.

Wellcome Collection 34318i

Presented to the Wellcome Institute Library in 1987 by Ashford Postgraduate Medical Centre, as part of a collection of medical illustrations by Barbara E. Nicholson.