Autograph Letter Signed to William Pulteney Alison from William Benjamin Carpenter, 8 November 1837

Carpenter begins by apologising to Alison for asking his opinion "on a subject on which I am anxious to obtain the best information I can from those most qualified to judge". The question Carpenter asks is: "Do you think that there is any valid foundation afforded by pathology to the belief in the independent functions of the cineritious and medullary portions of the nervous system, as maintained by Foville [Achille-Louis Foville, French neurologist and psychiatrist], Bouillaud [Jean-Baptiste Bouillaud, French physician] and others..." The following paragraph concerns the "very kind testimonial" with which Alison favoured Carpenter on his leaving Edinburgh. Carpenter then discusses "a paper of mine on Vegetable Physiology in the July No. of Dr Forbes's Review". Then follows: "I have been very sorry to hear that Dr Bennet [John Hughes Bennett (1812-1875), who had graduated from Edinburgh with the highest honours] has accused me to some of my friends in Edinburgh of having plagiarised from him in my paper on the Nervous System Those who know its history (and I may particularly refer to Dr J. Reid) will, I am sure, exonerate me from any such charge; and those who know me would, I hope, believe me to be incapable of it." He describes the "only foundation" of the charge, which he dismisses, "as any one who compares the two may perceive, at least if Dr B. has printed what he read at the Medical Society". (Hughes had read and published in 1837 the "Inaugural Dissertation on the Physiology and Pathology of the Brain; being an Attempt to ascertain what Portions of that Organ are more immediately connected with Motion, Sensation, and Intelligence. Submitted to the Medical Faculty of the University of Edinburgh".) He has, he explains, "troubled" Alison "with this explanation in case Dr B's statement should have reached your ears If he had printed it, as I understand he at one time intended to do, I should have replied to it I care little about priority of publication; but I am anxious to vindicate myself from the charge of dishonesty, especially amongst those whose esteem I so much value".