The sufferings which I endured from indigestion in early life, turned my attention to the study of medicine; and notwithstanding the advantages I thus possessed, so imperfectly were these complaints then understood, that it was only when they had reached the second stage, and began to react on the stomach, that an accidental discovery led me to a knowledge of their true origin.

 

Fifty years ago, when I was studying medicine, almost all the pains which were felt in the several parts of the human body were thought to have been occasioned by inflammation in the several tissues. Such having been the conclusion as to the cause, the remedy was obvious, and the lancet was freely used on all occasions when pain was the prevailing symptom. When free depletion failed to give relief, mercury wa shad recourse to, with the intention of changing the action in the affected part. Such were the remedies in almost universal use for combating the symptoms now known to proceed from indigestion. From the suffering I had all my life-time endured, and then laboured under, it may well be supposed that I submitted to the established treatment cheerfully, and passed through the ordeal heroically. It is true, I lost strength daily, but by and bye, my stomach gave me less uneasiness, and gradually, from loathing every kind of food, my appetite became voracious.

Now that my stomach gave me but little trouble, I thought all was right; but I did not then understand the cause, nor had I observed the curious fact that has been so often familiar to me, that when the irritation proceeding from indigestion passes from the stomach and its immediate appendages, and settles down on some special organ of the body, the annoyance in the stomach, for a time at least, passes from that viscous to the organ that has now become the seat of the disease. This constitutes what I term the second stage of indigestion.

My complaint was now looked upon by the best authorities as organic, and I was directed to have it treated accordingly. The excrutiating torture which I endured from the diseased action in the parts, and the treatment to which I was subjected, was such as makes me, even at this distance of time, tremble to think of.

After a few weeks, the irritability of stomach became again so great, that it would retain neither food nor medicine.

I now, almost in despair, began a course of experiments to endeavour to compound an aperient that would rest on the stomach, and, if possible, restore the natural action of the bowels. After innumerable failures, I at length succeeded in compounding that aperient, from the use of which, I, and many thousands of my suffering brethren, have derived so much benefit.

No one could have been more surprised than I was at the effect of this medicine: as the bowels resumed their natural functions, my stomach gradually became soothed, the irritation in the lower portion of the bowels slowly subsided, and I began to enjoy life again. The continued use of this medicine, combined with some gentle tonics, in three months restored me to comfortable health, which, as far as these complaints are concerned, I continue to enjoy.

It was by pondering over, and reasoning from these facts, that I first arrived at the full conviction, that all the endless ills which flow from indigestion have their origin in im,purity of the blood, - from the sluggish and vitiated manner in which the digestive organs supply the material for that pabulum of life. Once satisfied of this fact, it has been the business of my professional life to follow it up; and this has been the main cause of my success in the treatment of these complaints. This important fact is daily gaining ground, from the rapid progress which chemical science is making, and the scarcely less brilliant light the microscope has thrown on the physiology of the human body.

On March 15th 1818, William was nominated to be appointed as a kirk elder of the East Church parish of Perth, as noted in the Kirk Session records (NAS:CH2/585/1/62-3):

The Session were unaninmously of opinion that an Additional number of Elders were now necessary and resolved to adopt measures to supply the deficiency. The Moderator reported that he had requested and obtained the consent of the following persons to accept of the office of Eldership in the Parish to witt Messrs Adam Anderson Thomas Whitson John Matthew Merchant James Brodie Merchant William Ahmore and Dr. Henderson.

 

The Session therefore Did and hereby Do Nominate Appoint and Elect these persons to be Elders of the East Church Parish of Perth; and appoint public intimation thereof to be made from the Pulpit immediately after Divine Service this afternoon and the return of the Edict to be called for at two o’clock afternoon of Sabbath the Twenty ninth day of March current that if any of this Congregation shall have any thing to object to the life and conversation of the forenamed persons why they should not be Ordained Elders of this Church and Parish they may come forward and substantiate the same with Certification that if no such objection be then made, the Session will proceed to their ordination immediately after divine Service on the said Twenty ninth Current in the General Session House.

Two weeks later, the session confirmed his appointment (NAS:CH2/585/1/62-3):

The Minutes of the fifteenth day of March current relative to the Election of additional Elders in this Parish being Read the Moderator reported that he had served the Edict of Messrs Anderson Whitson Mathew Brodie Ashmore and Dr Henderson in due form and the return of the Edict being this day called for, and none appearing to object to the life and conversation of the foresaid persons The Session unanimously that they now be Ordained and admitted Elders of this Church and Parish.

 

They were accordingly Ordained by solemn Prayer to the office of Elders in presence of the Session; & having received the right hand of fellowship from the members present their names were added to the Roll.

As an elder, William had to sit with the Kirk Session in adjudication on disciplinary matters from time to time. His first appearance in such a hearing was on July 19th 1818, when he sat in judgment on the case of Grizzel Allan, who had brought forth a child in fornication and had accused unmarried weaver William Taylor of being the father. The panel, including William, decided to seek further proof of Allan’s allegations towards Taylor. On the 28^th the Elders satisfied themselves that she was telling the truth..

As an elder, William was also a trustee of the King James VI Hospital, a charitable institution set up on behalf of the poor in 1569. As such, he was recorded on several instances within the chartularies of the King James VI Hospital, of which he was a trustee, and possible a practising doctor prior to its closure to in-patients in 1812. On September 14th 1818, William was noted as one of the witnesses on a Precept of Clare Constat granted by the Hospital in favour of Sir David Moncrieff, Baronet, concerning the lands of Saint Magdalene confirmed in his favour. On August 17th, William also witnessed a Contract of Feu drawn up between the Hospital and Mrs Anne Hair or White, wife of John White, residing in Perth, over lots 44, 45 and 46 of the Hospital Gardens.

On March 28^th 1819, the Kirk Session decided to divide their parish into districts, allocating each district to an Elder. At the meeting William agreed to take on the Superintendance of the first District, which comprised of Necessity, Cherrybank, Pittheavles, Woodlands, Oakbank, Athol Bank, Cornhill, Needless and Earlsdykes.

As one of the town's handful of physicians, William had a quite extraordinary career in Perth. One of the earliest known problems with which he had to contend was an epidemic of smallpox in Perth in early 1819. Just prior to the epidemic a vaccine for the disease had been discovered. As some of the inhabitants of Perth had been vaccinated, and others not, it provided William with a good opportunity to compare the effects of the disease between the two groups. He subsequently published his results in an article called "Reported Cases of Small-pox, being the First Appearance of a Disease Epidemic after Discovery of a Vaccine". The article has still to be sourced, but another account of what happened was written by William on June 11th 1819 to Dr. John Thomson, M.D.F.R.S.E., Surgeon to the Forces and Professor of Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh, which was later published in a book in 1824 entitled "An Account of the Varioloid Epidemic which has Lately Prevailed in Edinburgh and Other Parts of Scotland". From this we learn that in Perth and its immediate surroundings some 108 people caught small-pox, of whom thirty seven contracted the disease after having been vaccinated, one of whom died.  Of the 56 individuals who had not been vaccinated, some 15 died, almost one in four. Having studied the two groups at close quarters, William concluded that not only was the effects of smallpox much less severe in those who had been vaccinated, but that chickpen-pox, small-pox and horn-pox must also have a common origin, as the spread of the various forms during the epidemic seemed to be linked. William also goes into details about how the epridemic in Perth started, with its origin traced to a house in South Street, "a few days after an itinerant woman, having a child with small-pox on its body, had lodged there". The child being allowed to play with other children in the area had passed on the contagion, and servants who had subsequently contracted it had retired to different parts of the town to convalesce, thereby spreading the disease further.  

In 1820, William gained some notoriety as being the doctor who successfully delivered one of the first babies in Scotland to ever survive birth by a casarean section. Although the procedure had been known to have been carried out elsewhere in Scotland prior to this, only a handful of children had been known to survive the procedure. The pregant mother was 30 year old Elizabeth Miller, spouse of David Low, and the following account from the Perth Courier of October 5th 1820 describes what happened:

The Caesarean operation was performed here on Saturday last, by Dr Henderson, in presence of six of his professional brethren. The patient being much deformed, and in a reduced habit of body, survived the operation only about 24 hours. The child, a fine girl, is doing extremely well. We understand that this is about the 24th time this operation has been performed in Great Britain, and that only one or two have survived it. Of the 24 children, only 11 have been brought into the world alive. Much praise is due to the medical gentlemen who assisted in this distressing case, two of them having constantly attended by turns on the patient, during the whole time she was alive. 

And from the internet, a further description has also been found of the case, giving more detail on Elizabeth's tragic situation and the extent of her disability:

Despite being severely debilitated and confined to bed for some years with increasing skeletal deformities, she became pregnant, and in due course laboured unsuccessfully for about 102 hours. An elective caesarean section was performed, but she died some hours later, though her daughter survived and was appropriately christened Caesar Anna. This represents one of the earliest cases in which the caesarean operation was performed where the full obstetric history was carefully recorded by the obstetrician involved, Dr. Henderson of Perth. The case was clearly considered important, and in 1836 engravings of this pelvis were used to illustrate Professor Hamilton's "Practical Observations of Various Subjects Related to Midwifery". Such cases are now of great rarity in the developed world.

 

Cholera.- In 1832, the Asiatic cholera visited Perth, as it did many other towns in Britain. As in the visitation of the plague, the most effectual means that could be devised were adopted by the continued authorities to avert or mitigate the malady. A meeting of the the influential classes of the community was called. The meeting divided the town and suburbs into sections. To each of these a certain number of persosn was appointed, with authority to remove nuisances, and cause the house which required it to be thoroughly cleansed and purified. A temporary hospital was fitted up to receive patients; and competent medical officers were appointed to attend and take charge of them. A soup-kitchen was established, from which the poor of the place were supplied daily with broth and bread. The consequence of these precautionary measures was most beneficial. To them may be justly ascribed, under Heaven, the comparatively small number of cases that occurred. The deaths were 147. It is proper to mention, that, through the liberality of certain noblemen and gentlemen in the county, and of the inhabitants of the parish, no legal assessment was resorted to. The sum collected and expended was L.2091, 4s. 5d. (p.37).

As a part of the Medical Board for Perth during the crisis, William was one of the few physicians who understood why the disease was communicating so easily through the populace, and was therefore able to put in place measures that helped to defeat its transmission, thereby ending the epidemic.

On April 21st 1833, William was appointed the Ruling Elder of the East Church parish (NAS:CH2/585/1/186):

The Session proceeded to the Election of a Ruling Elder to represent them in the Meetings of the Reverend Presbytery of Perth and Synod of the bounds that shall happen during the current half year when Dr. William Henderson Physician in Perth and one of their number was unanimously chosen and they accordingly Did and hereby Do Nominate and appoint the said Dr. William Henderson a Member of the said Presbytery and Synod of Perth and Stirling and they require him to attend the several Meetings of the same and there to Vote judge and Determine in all matters that may come before them to the glory of God and the good of his Church and to report his diligence therein and they appoint the Clerk to furnish the said Dr. William Henderson with an Extract of his Commission.

Two days later, William was also elected as the interim clerk for the parish (NAS:CH2/585/1/186). On October 26th 1835, he was then recorded in the Kirk Session minutes as having been instructed to interview an Alexander Bennet, who was ill at home, with regard to a case involving a woman called Janet Clunie (NAS:CH2/585/1/284). On April 25th 1841, he was again chosen as Ruling Elder, and the commission was attested three days later (NAS:CH2/585/1/353-354):

Dr. William Henderson’s Commission attested

 

There was laid before the Session a Commission by the Town Council of Perth in favour of Dr. William Henderson one of the Members of this Session to be Elder for this Burgh in the ensuing General Assembly of this Church and to which Commission the Attestation of the Session is required.

 

After considering the same the Session Did and hereby Do certify and declare that Dr. William Henderson Ruling Elder and Member of the said Session is bona fide an Acting Elder of their Congregation. And the Session authorised the Moderator to attest the said Commission. Which he did in their presence accordingly.

 

The Sederunt closed with prayer.

Just three weeks later, in November 1835, William was fortunate to be able to witness one of the greatest celestial events in his lifetime, the re-appearance of Halley's Comet. So moved was he by the spectacle that he took his quill to paper and composed a poem in its honour:

NEW AND SUCCESSFUL METHOD OF TREATING DISEASE OF THE PROSTATE GLAND.

 

By W. Henderson, M.D., Perth

 

On the 1st of June, 1840, a gentleman consulted me under the following circumastances. About four years ago, he first felt a more frequent desire than usual to void urine, accompanied with more or less pain, and followed with frequent slight mucus discahrge from the urethra. He was then in London, and the medical gentleman whom he consulted treated the complaint as gonorrhoeal. He shortly after that left London, but, impressed with the idea of the alleged nature of his disease, he continued to take all sorts of medicines, known and secret, without any abatement of his sufferings.

 

When I first saw him, he felt an almost constant desire to empty the bladder, often passing only a few drops of urine at a time, accompanied with much pain  and pressure; occasional severe lancinating pains at the neck of the bladder, which extended throughout the urethra, and were most distressing at the point of the penis; priapisms and emissions during sleep, followed with extreme heat and pain; constant mucus discharge from the urethra; bowels confined; much uneasiness in passing the faeces; a sensation as if some hard substance were pressing from within against the verge of the anus, which no effort to empty the bowel could remove. Sitting for any length of time on a hard seat causes a deep-seated, heavy pain at the neck of the bladder; heat and excoflation at the verge of the anus on taking even moderate exercise on foot, and he cannot ride on horseback at all from the pain it occasions.

 

On introducing a catheter, to ascertain whether stricture existed, the instrument passed freely until it reached the prostate gland, where there was obstruction and much pain in passing it into the bladder. I then examined the gland with the finger through the rectum; it was much enlarged, and painful on pressure.

 

The ordinary means, viz. aperients, iodine, leeches, and counter-irritants on the perineum, were persevered with for four weeks, with scarcely any alleviation of the pateient's sufferings, and no progress whatever made in reducing the size of the gland.

In the Valuation Roll for Perth in 1865-66, William was noted as the proprietor of 17 Rose Street and as paying an annual rent of £30 (NAS: VR68/11/10).

On March 30th 1866, William must have been devastated to hear of the brutal murder of his niece Janet Rogers (nee Henderson), at his nephew William's farm in Forgandenny, Perthshire, Mount Stewart Farm. The event became headline news all over Scotland as The Mount Stewart Murder, and as The Bridge of Earn Murder. From several of the newspaper accounts of the atrocity it is stated that William junior had believed his sister was not to be found initially at the farm when he returned home from the market in Perth, because she may have been away to Perth responding to a letter from Dr. Henderson. From this we can deduce that such a letter was expected, and hence William senior must have arranged that when Janet visited her brother at his farm, she would also visit her uncle in Perth, just up the road. Her uncle was no doubt shocked at the sudden news of her death, and undoubtedly followed the developments of the investigation keenly, to the point of the trial of the main suspect, Crichton, in April 1867.

On May 28th 1870, William, by now an elderly gentleman of 86 years of age, had a Deed of Settlement drawn up to be enacted in the event of his death. The details concerning his gifts to his family are of great interest, clearly indicating where his favourites lay in the family! It also gives a lot of detail on his domestic life - he had a servant for whom he had a great deal of respect; a favourite niece, Eliza, who actually lived with him and his wife for a time; a wife who was an accomplished artist; and an interest in the Jacobite pretenders who had caused the uprisings of the previous century - was he a secret admirer?! Of lasting importance, is his wish to have a fund set up in perpetuity for the betterment of male pensioners in the town who needed financial assistance.

The following is a transcription of the original will in its entirety:

I Doctor William Henderson Physician in Perth, Considering it to be my duty to settle my affairs in case of my death as well as for the love favour and affection which I bear to the persons afternamed as Beneficiaries under these presents and having full confidence in the ability and integrity of the persons afternamed as Trustees to execute the Trust hereby reposed in them hereby give, grant, assign and Dispone to and in favour of William Henderson residing at New Scone my nephew, Archibald MacDonald Merchant in Perth, The Reverend Andrew Anderson my Nephew and George Gray Junior writer in Perth and to the survivor or survivors of them who shall accept and to the heirs of such survivors and to such other person or persons as they may assume as Trustees in virtue of the powers aftercontained the major part accepting and surviving and resident in Scotland at the time being always a quorum as Trustees for the ends uses and purposes aftermentioned and their assignees, All and sundry Lands and Heritages goods and gear debts and sums of money and in general the whole means and estate heritable and moveable real & personal of whatever kind or nature or wheresoever situated the same may be presently belonging and addebted or which shall belong and be addebted to me at the time of my death with the whole vouchers and instructions writs titles and securities of and concerning my said whole Estate and Effects and all that has followed or may be competent to follow thereon But in trust always for the ends uses and purposes aftermentioned videlicet – First, That my said Trustees shall from the first and readiest of my said means and Estate pay all my just and lawful debts deathbed and funeral expenses. Second. That my said Trustees shall thereafter dispose of as much of my property as may be required to realise the sum of Six Thousand pounds which sum is to form the foundation of an Institution hereafter mentioned to be called “Doctor William Henderson’s Mortification”. Third. That my Trustees shall at the first term of Whitsunday or Martinmas happening six months after my death make payment of the following legacies hereby bequeathed by me to the persons afternamed videlicet. To my nephew the foresaid William Henderson the sum of One Thousand Pounds. To my Brother Alexander Henderson the sum of Five hundred Pounds. To my Brother James Henderson the sum of Five hundred Pounds. To my nephew James Henderson son of the said Alexander Henderson the sum of Five hundred Pounds. To each of the Daughters of my said Brother Alexander the sum of One hundred Pounds. To my niece Isabella Henderson the sum of One hundred Pounds. To each of my nieces Janet and Isabella Fenwick Daughters of my late Sister Agnes the sum of Fifty Pounds and to their Brother Peter Fenwick Nineteen Guineas. To my niece Eliza Henderson wife of the said Archibald Macdonald who for many years resided with me in consideration of the unremitting attention and kindness I leave to her the sum of One thousand Pounds. And I further bequeath to the said Eliza Henderson all the furniture of the room which she used to occupy in my house and may be there at the time of my death. Also I leave and bequeath to the said Eliza Henderson the eight day clock standing in the lobby of my house, whole bed and table linen, one dozen of silver tea spoons, one half dozen silver table spoons, one half dozen silver dessert spoons, one silver dividing spoon, one pair of silver sugar tongs, two silver salt spoons together with my second service of tea plates. And I hereby bequeath and appoint my said Trustees to deliver the following works of art to my dear sister Mrs Jane Morrison or Gray videlicet three crayon portraits hanging in the room lately occupied by the said Eliza Henderson in my house. Also “Bolten Abbey” “Duke of Argyle” “Child feeding” and the following oil paintings videlicet “King James”, “King Charles” “John Knox” “George Buchanan” and the “Spanish Boy”. Also the chalk drawing of the “Winter’s Tale” and all the miniatures including an unfinished portrait of my late dear wife and oil of myself. Also Babyones Plates and all the drawings sketch books and drawing materials which were the works of and belonged to my late dear wife her sister. Further I hereby Legate and Bequeath to Christian Henderson or Finlay my niece the sum of One hundred Pounds including the jus mariti of her husband. And declaring that the same shall not be subject to arrestment by her or her husband’s creditors, but being purily alimentary shall be paid by my said Trustees to herself alone and in such partial payments and at such times as they may consider most for her advantage. And I bequeath to Annie her daughter the sum of One hundred Pounds upon the precise same conditions as the Legacy left to her mother. And I legate and bequeath to the sons of my niece Margaret Henderson the sum of nineteen Guineas each. To William Henderson McCash son of …. McCash Shoemaker in Errol, and to David Robertson formerly residing in Glasgow now in Canada nineteen Guineas each. To each of my Trustees I leave the sum of Ten pounds. To the City and County of Perth Infirmary I leave the sum of One hundred Pounds, to be funded to the Indigent Old Men’s Society in Perth the sum of nineteen Guineas and to the Fechney Institution the sum of Nineteen Guineas. But in the event of my paying one or more of these three last legacies during my life the same shall be held to be cancelled and revoked from the settlement. To Margaret Mackenzie my faithful servant provided she is in my service at the time of my death, I leave the sum of One hundred Pounds, together with the bed and bedding and all the furniture in the room in which she sleeps excepting always the china and stoneware therein, which legacy of One hundred Pounds and Articles aforesaid shall be paid and delivered to her free of legacy duty and expenses of discharge. To the aforesaid Reverend Andrew Anderson Licentiate of the United Presbyterian Church I leave the sum of Six hundred Pounds along with my gold watch and silver plate except in so far as the same be bequeathed to my niece Eliza Henderson as before mentioned. Also my diamond ring and all my books and manuscripts I leave to my Brother James Henderson, all my wearing apparel to Annie Rodger daughter of the deceased Janet Henderson or Rodger I leave the sum One hundred Pounds and to each of her sisters Fifty Pounds, to Alexander Mackenzie my nephew son of my sister Isabella the sum of nineteen Guineas, to Janet Fenwick for herself the sum of Fifty Pounds, and a further sum of Fifty Pounds to be applied by her for the benefit of her deceased sister Emily’s Orphan family. And Lastly to each of the five daughters of Peter Anderson at Gellyburn, Murthly, the sum of Fifty Pounds each. And all the above legacies in so far as not otherwise specially provided shall be payable by said Trustees to the said several Legatees at the first term of Whitsunday or Martinmas which may happen six months after my death. And for the purposes of the said Trust and the realrying of the foresaid sum of Six Thousand Pounds and payment of the said Legacies, I hereby give full power to my said Trustess and their foresaids to sell and dispose of the whole Estate heritable and moveable above conveyed either by Public Roup or private bargain and that at such prices and on such terms and conditions as they may think most advantageous to the Trust. And I hereby appoint my said Trustees and their foresaids after fully paying or providing for the payment of my said debts and expenses the money required for the aforesaid mortification and specific Legacies above bequeathed and any other Legacies which I may leave and bequeath by any writing under my hand, though neither holograph nor tested if sufficiently indicative of my intention together with the whole expenses incurred by my said Trustees in the execution of the Trust and winding up the same shall pay over whatever residue may then remain in their hands to the aforesaid Eliza Henderson wife of the said Archibald Macdonald and the Reverend Andrew Anderson whom I hereby appoint as my Residuary Legatees in the proportion of Three fifths to the former and Two fifths to the latter, And that so soon as it may be convenient for the said Trustees to wind up this Trust. And I hereby appoint my said Trustees and the acceptors or acceptor, survivors or survivor of them to be my Executors with power to give up Inventories of my personal estate and to confirm the same with all other powers belonging to the office of Executry including all others from that office. Further I hereby declare that my said Trustees shall have powers to nominate or assume into the Trust any person or persons they may think proper to act along with them as Trustee or Trustees. And I declare that the person or persons so appointed shall have the same powers and rights as Trustees as if they had been therein appointed by myself. And my said Trustees shall have it in their power to appoint one of themselves or any other persons they may think suitable to act as their Factor and Agent in managing the affairs entrusted to them by these presents and who shall receive a reasonable remuneration for his professional trouble and responsibility for whom they shall not be any further liable than that he is habit and repute responsible when so appointed. And it is hereby also declared that my said Trustees shall not be liable singuli in soliduus but each only for his actual intromissions. And I hereby revoke all former Settlements made and executed by me at any time heretofore Reserving always my own lifement of the whole estate and Effector heritable and moveable real and personal above conveyed with full power to me at any time during my life and even on deathbed to alter innovate or revoke these presents in whole or in part as I may see proper, dispensing with the delivery thereof. And declaring these presents to be good valid and effectual though found lying by me at the time of my death or in the custody of any other person for my behoof. Further as it is my intention to found a mortification for the benefit of a certain class of Indigent old men out of the Revenue which may accrue out of the Investment of the foresaid sum of Six thousand Pounds, I now hereby indicate generally the terms and conditions on which I would wish the same to be instituted and carried on in perpetuity videlicet First. The Institution to be called “Doctor William Henderson’s Mortification” and in the first instance placed under the management of my four Trustees before named in conjunction with the person whom they are to appoint as their Factor which Factor when so appointed and the person who may succeed him in that office shall always have co-ordinate powers with the Trustees but the Factor shall only be elected for a period of five years though eligible for re-election, Second, that the Board of management being this composed of five persons shall always continue to be so and upon the death or resignation of any one of the members those surviving shall immediately proceed to fill up the vacancy the majority of the Board in voting shall always be a quorum, and in the event of an equality of votes, the members standing at the top of the list for the time being shall have the casting vote, Third, That the foresaid capital sum of Six thousand Pounds shall be invested in good heritable security Debeulume Bonds of First Class Railway Companies or such other securities as may be approved of by the majority of the Board, but the Title Deeds shall only be taken in name of the Trustees for the time being and their successors in Office for behoof of the said Institution.  Fourth. That my object and intention being to give partial assistance to indigent old men I instruct the Board of management to elect as the first recipients of my County three male persons as annuitants thereon each to receive twenty pounds Sterling yearly payable half yearly in advance, four male persons to receive Fifteen pounds Sterling yearly as above and eight male persons to receive Ten pounds Sterling yearly as above commencing the said payments at the first term of Whitsunday or Martinmas happening twelve months from the date of my death subject to the provisions aftermentioned that the Board of management shall always have it in their power before filling up vacancies in any of the several classes of annuitants to satisfy themselves that the Revenue at the time is sufficient to admit of a re-election and if not to postpone a new election until it becomes so. Fifth. I reserve to myself the power of selecting the nominees for first appointment whether male or female and expect the Board of management to respect such a list as I may leave in my desk however informal if clearly indicative of my wish. Sixth. I hereby declare it to be my wish and intention that the persons eligible to these annuities shall be natives of and resident in the County of Perth shall not be under the age of Sixty years or good moral character and in such circumstances of life as would render the assistance of a small annuity to supplement their own means of advantage in procuring some of the comforts of life; Persons however who are receiving parochial relief unless of the name of Henderson shall not be eligible. Seventh. Applicants who can establish their relationship to me or of the surname of Henderson and otherwise qualified shall caeteris paribus be preferred to strangers and similar preference shall be given first to natives of my own Parish of Kinclaven where I was born and second persons resident in the East Church Parish of Perth, and third who reside in any of the other Parishes of Perth, all of these having been resident in their respective Parishes for a period of five years continuously. Eighth I hereby declare and direct that if any of the persons elected by the said Board of management shall be guilty of any act of immorality proved to their satisfaction such annuitants shall immediately and ipso facto lose all right to his annuity and forthwith be struck off the Annuitant Roll. Ninth. The said Board of management shall have power to make such regulations and bye laws as they deem proper with reference to their periodical meetings advertising for application and otherwise and the Trustees foresaid shall have full power to elect a duly qualified person to complete the board but for ______ years only, unless re-elected and to make him such remuneration for his responsibility and services as they may deem proper and reasonable. And I hereby consent to the Registration hereof in the Books of Council and Session or others for preservation. In Witness whereof I have subscribed these presents written on this and the six preceding pages by John Richardson Elder apprentice to George Gray Solicitor in Perth at Perth the twenty eighth day of May Eighteen Hundred and Seventy years before these Witnesses the said John Richardson Elder and John Duff Cameron also apprentice to the said George Gray

 

(Signed) Wm Henderson John R Elder Witness, Jno D. Cameron Witness.

 

It was William's intention that one of the four Trustees to his proposed Mortification fund be his favoured nephew, William Henderson. In 1866, four years prior to the writing of his uncle's will, this nephew had been wrongfully accused of the murder of his sister at his farm in Forgandenny. Although he was cleared of the murder, the true culprit was never caught. But several months after his uncle, Dr. William Henderson, had recorded his will, something had changed in the relationship between the two and William senior changed the terms of his will by the addition of a codicil on June 6th 1870. Perhaps William had harboured some doubts about his nephew's innocence?  Or perhaps he had begun to be concerned by his nephew's mental state, which would ultimately see him committed to the Lunatic Asylum in Perth, where he would eventually pass away himself in 1890? For whetever the reason, William junior was to be replaced on the Board of the new Mortification, and his monetary gift was to be reduced by almost a half.

The following is the change that William made to his will:

I Doctor William Henderson before designed having since executing the foregoing Deed of Settlement seen cause for altering the same do now in virtue of the powers reserved by me Revoke and Recall the nomination of William Henderson my nephew to be one of my Trustees and Executors and in place of leaving him a Legacy of One thousand Pounds I hereby reduce the same to Six hundred Pounds and in room of the said William Henderson I hereby nominate and appoint Thomas Couper Manager of the Dundee Perth and London Shipping Company to be a Trustee and Executor giving granting and committing to him all the powers pertaining to these offices as the same were conferred on the said William Henderson and his colleagues by the aforesaid Deed of Settlement. Further I leave and bequeath to Alexander Campbell of the firm of MacDonald and Campbell Merchants in Perth the sum of nineteen Guineas as a small mark of my regard for his kindness to me. And the like sum of nineteen Guineas to Robert Christie Surgeon in Perth and having cancelled a bill for One hundred Pounds due to me by David Robertson formerly residing in Glasgow now in Canada and transmitted it to him, I hereby Revoke and Recall the legacy of nineteen Guineas left to him in my Deed of Settlement and with respect to various works of art bequeathed to Mrs Jane Morrison or Gray I hereby declare that all of these excepting the three crayon Portraits shall duly be retained by her in lifement and upon her death revert to my Trustees to be by them made over to the curators of the Perth Antiquarian Society and exhibited there to the public as evidence of the versatile genius of the artist. In witness whereof I have subscribed this codicil written upon this eighth page of the said Deed of Settlement by John Richardson Elder Apprentice to George Gray Solicitor in Perth at Perth the sixth day of June Eighteen hundred and seventy years before these witnesses the said John Richardson Elder and John Duff Cameron also Apprentice to the said George Gray

(Signed) Wm Henderson,  John R Elder Witness,  Jno D. Cameron Witness.

 

William died on October 13th 1870 at 11.50am, in his home of 17 Rose Terrace in Perth. The cause was a two month illness, as certified by the aforementioned Dr. Robert Christie. The informant to the Perth registrar two days later was William's nephew-in-law, Archibald McDonald, who lived at 18 Marshall Place (GROS:1870/387/00/0506). The following general; death notice was recorded in both the Perth Courier of October 18th 1870 (p.3 col.2) and the Perth Journal and Constitutional of October 20th 1870 (p.8):

DEATHS

At 17 Rose Terrace, Perth, on the 13th instant, Dr. William Henderson, in the 87th year of his age. Friends will please accept of this intimation.

Both papers expanded on this notice with full obituaries. In the Perth Courier, the following was recorded:

THE LATE DR. HENDERSON

 

Our obituary again contains the name of an old and long and well-known citizen - Dr. Henderson. After a last illness of a few weeks' duration, Dr Henderson died on Thursday last, at the ripe age of eighty-seven. Till very lately the Doctor continued wonderfully hale; and took almost unabated interest in the current topics of the day. Although a very prominent citizen for many years, he never took any very prominent part in public affairs. He had very decided opinions, however, upon all public questions, and never hesitated, when called upon, to express them. In politics he was a tried and consistent liberal; and when able to do little more, he took his placein Mr Kinnaird's committee upon the occasion of the hon. gentleman's last public meeting with his constituents. In ecclesiastical matters he was a staunch adherent and supporter of the Church of Scotland, of which he was an elder, and discharged the duties of this office uninterruptedly for a period of upwards of fifty years. Some little time ago, on the completion of his fiftieth year as an elder, it was proposed by his colleagues in the session to take some public notice of this event, and make some public acknowledgement of his long-continued and highly valued services: but this the Doctor declined. Of his private walk and conversation, as a Christian gentleman it is not for us to speak further than to say that it was strictly consistent with his public profession. In his profession the Doctor stood well, and enjoyed a large practice. He acquired both fortune and fame by the preparation of a stomachic, which was, and we believe is, in universal use. Upon occasion of the first visitation of cholera to this city, he published a little work as to both personal and public sanitary considerations, which proved of much value. In 1831 he published a volume of Rules for the Improvement and Prolongation of Health, which met with such acceptance as to call for more than one edition. Our own columns have also been indebted to his pen. From time to time, we have had most interesting narratives of tours which were severally collected and published. He also contributed a series of Sketches of Scottish Life and Character, which were much appreciated, and on completion, were likewise published in the shape of a handsome foolscap octavo. His remains are to be interred to-day. Few contemporaries survive to lament his loss, but, notwithstanding, the decease of Dr Henderson will leave many blanks and cherished memories throughout the town.

And in the Perth Journal and Constitutional:

THE LATE DR WILLIAM HENDERSON

 

In the obituary of our paper to-day will be found recorded the death of Dr Wm. Henderson, which took place at his residence, Rose Terrace, on Thursday last week, at the ripe age of eighty-seven years. The doctor was a native of the parish of Kinclaven, and became a medical practitioner in Perth in 1806 - sixty-four years ago. He was no ordinary man, and many years ago he gave to the world his medicine known as the "Concentrated Stomachic Elixir," which has become one of the patent medicines now in universal use, both in this country and the United States of America. In 1855, Dr Henderson published a still popular work on the improvement of health. He was a staunch adherent of our National Church, and was an elder of the East Church and parish for upwards of half-a-century, but failing health obliged him to retire from so responsible an office a few years since. The Doctor was an old Whig in principle, and uniformly supported what is called "the Liberal side of politics," yet it cannot be doubted that he was a firm supporter of the British Constitution, both in Church and State.

William was subsequently buried in Greyfriars Cemetery alongside his wife on October 19th, at 2.00pm. The cost of the mort cloth was 26 pence, and the cost of the burial was one shilling and sixpence (A. K. Bell Burial Registers).

Five days after his burial, he Kirk Session (Middle Church) recorded the following tribute to him within its minutes (NAS:CH2/585/2/381):

At Perth the twenty fourth day of October Eighteen hundred and seventy

 

Which day the Kirk Session of the East Church met and was constituted by the Rev. Robert Milne M. A .Moderator pro tempore, sederunt with him Dr Barclay and Messrs Sidey Brown, Nells, Thomson, Grainger, Burns, Smart, Elders.

 

The Session of the East Church Perth at this their first meeting since the death of Dr William Henderson and before proceeding to business resolve thus to place on their records this brief tribute of respect to the memory of their departed brother. Dr Henderson had attained the ripe age of 87. For fifty years he had been an acting and an active Elder of the Church and by many years the Senior member of the Eldership in Perth. During this long period it was ever his anxious desire to perform the duties of his office. With the good hand of providence he was never once absent at the Seasons of Communion and thus for one hundred times did he on these occasions officiate as an elder. For many years he had the duty of allotting to his brother Elders the respective parts they had to fill at the table service. So long as health permitted him he took an active share in the management of the public institutions connected with the Church. On several occasions he was representative Elder in Presbytery Synod and General Assembly. In his professional life he was well and widely known for his contributions to the healing art. In the walks of literature and the advancement of the fine arts, he was not unknown. In his ordinary walk and conversation he was the humble follower of Christ. No words indeed can better express the even tenor of his Christian life than those of his favourite paraphrase which he often caused to be recited and sung to him on the closing scene of his deathbed.

 

“I’m not ashamed to own my Lord

Or to defend his cause.

Maintain the glory of his cross

And honour all his laws”

 

The Session direct that a copy of this part of this day’s Minute be transmitted to Mrs McDonald the niece of Dr. Henderson to be communicated to his other relatives.

Upon his death, the following inventory of William's possessions, totalling some £19,972, 8s and 10d, was recorded. In today's money, this amount would be worth approximately £1,200,000.

Inventory of the Personal Estate of William Henderson M. D. 1870

 

Inventory of the Personal Estate wheresoever situated of William Henderson M. D. of number seventeen Rose Terrace, Perth, who died there on the thirteenth day of October Eighteen hundred and Seventy.

 

I. Scotland.

 

1. Cash in the house__£25

2. Household furniture, silver plate and other effects in the deceased’s House conform to Appraisement of Duncan McFarlane Licensed Appraiser__£122, 2s and 8d.

3. Balance due the deceased on an account current with the Bank of Scotland at Perth__£455, 11s and 3d.

Interest to date of death__£3, 7 and 9d.

Interest to date of Inventory & Oath__4s and 6d

4. Debt due to the deceased upon the following Document Bond and Assignation in Security by David Robertson of Montreal Canada dated__£200

Deduct one half thereof the estimated value of the debt being only of per £1__£100

Interest nil.

5.Shares in the following public companies:

Standard Life Assurance Company Edinburgh Ninety Shares at Seventy three pounds__£65

Dundee Perth and London Shipping Company Dundee One hundred and twenty shares at Thirty three pounds__£3060

Perth Gas Light Company Forty A shares at Thirty Pounds__£1200

Forty B. shares at five pounds__£200

Perth Wheaten Bread Society Five shares at twenty three shillings__£5, 15s

Note. The above are all estimated ann div.

6. Stock on the following Railway Companies:

Three Hundred Pounds Caledonian Railway Company Scottish North Eastern Five per cent preference Stock at One hundred and five pounds ten shillings__£316, 10s

One hundred and forty pounds Caledonian Railway Company Scottish Central 4 ½ per cent Preference Stock at Ninety eight Pounds two shillings__£137, 18s

Seven hundred and fifty pounds of the Dundee Perth and Aberdeen Junction Railway Company at Sixty eight pounds ten shillings__£513,15s

Five hundred pounds 4 ½ per cent Perpetual preference Stock of the Scottish North Eastern Railway Company now Caledonian Railway Company at Ninety seven pounds fifteen shillings__£488, 15s

Sixteen hundred Pounds of the Scottish Midland Railway Company now the Caledonian Railway Company at One hundred and forty pounds__£2240

Nineteen hundred and eighty pounds of the Scottish Central Railway Company now the Caledonian Railway Company at One hundred and forty pounds__£2772.

Note. The above are all estimated ann dividend.

7. Bank Stock

Ten shares of the Central Bank of Scotland now merged into the Bank of Scotland equal to Two hundred and eighty Pounds Stock of the latter at Two hundred & sixty five Pounds__£743

Reversion from Central Bank at final winding up valued at £1

8. The following Cash Documents Dividend Warrants of Caledonian Railway Company

Due Thirteenth October Eighteen hundred and seventy__£70, 2s and 11d

Due Thirteenth October Eighteen hundred and seventy__£71,1s and 9d

 

Total__£19,972, 8s and 10d

 

 

England and Ireland

No Estate

 

At Perth the thirty first day of October Eighteen hundred and seventy. In presence of William Murray One of Her Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the County of Perth Appeared Archibald McDonald one of the Executors of the deceased William Henderson M.D. of number seventeen Rose Terrace, Perth, foresaid who being solemnly sworn and examined Deponed that the said William Henderson died at number seventeen, Rose Terrace, Perth, on the Nineteenth day of October Eighteen hundred and seventy and the Deponent has entered upon the possession & management of the deceased’s Estate as Executor nominated by him along with the Reverend Andrew Anderson nephew to the deceased George Gray Junior, writer in Perth and Thomas Couper Manager of the Dundee Perth and London Shipping Company in a Trust Disposition and Deed of Settlement dated the twenty eighth day of May Eighteen hundred and seventy with codicil dated sixth day of June Eighteen hundred and seventy and Registered in the Sheriff Court Books of Perthshire the twenty first day of October same year, an extract whereof is now exhibited and signed by the Deponent and the said Justice of Peace of this date as relative hereto. That the Deponent does not know of any Testamentary Settlement or other writing relative to the disposal of the deceased’s Personal Estate or Effects or any part thereof other than his said Trust Disposition and Deed of Settlement. That the foregoing Inventory each page of which is signed by the Deponent and the said Justice of the Peace of this date as relative hereto, is a full and complete Inventory of the Personal Estate and Effects of the said deceased William Henderson wheresoever situated and belonging or due to him beneficially at the time of his death on so far as the same has come to the Deponent’s knowledge. That the value at this date of the said Personal Estate and Effects situated in the United Kingdom including the proceeds accrued  thereon down to this date is Eighteen thousand Pounds and under Twenty thousand Pounds Sterling. That Confirmation of the said Personal Estate is required in favour of the Deponent and the said Reverend Andrew Anderson George Gray Junior and Thomas Couper. All which is truth as the Deponent shall answer to God

(Signed) Archd. McDonald,  William M. Farney J.P.

Following his death, a transcript of the deed of mortification established by William in 1870 was copied into the kirk session minutes for Kinclaven parish (still retained by the parish), This includes the appended footnote, confirming that William had been raised at Airdrum farm in his childhood:

Finally, in A. R. Urquhart's "Auld Perth", the following entry is placed for William in the Literature in Perth section, which includes the author giving William a bit of a ticking off!!!: