Scientific surgeon of the Enlightenment or 'plagiarist in everything': A reappraisal of Benjamin Bell (1749-1806)

Abstract

The Edinburgh surgeon Benjamin Bell has been regarded as a scientific thinker in the Enlightenment tradition, despite being accused during his lifetime of both plagiarism and a failure to be innovative. Yet subsequent historical accounts regard him much more favourably. A review of his life and work discusses possible explanations for this apparent lack of concordance. © 2011 Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.