A System of Surgery The System appeared in six volumes between 1783 and 1788. By 1801 no fewer than seven editions had been published, and it went on to Italian, French, Spanish, German and three American editions. It was popular because it was comprehensive; made use of up-to-date published material from all over Europe, and because of Bell's reputation as a surgeon. Bell was an advocate of the routine use of opium to relieve post-operative pain, stating "to be able to alleviate the misery of those who are obliged to submit to dangerous operations must afford the biggest gratification to every practitioner." Bell also credited his fellow Scot, James Moore, with developing a clamp to produce nerve compression in the arm or leg to provide analgesia for amputation. Farming Bell's family background was in farming, and, during his two-year break from surgery after his accident in 1775, he rented Liberton farm two miles from central Edinburgh, and his interest in the subject was revived. He frequently wrote to his father for agricultural advice. Property dealings Bell bought the lands of Newington in South Edinburgh in 1803 and was responsible for the development of the area. He built Newington House for himself just before his death. Although this house was demolished in 1966, the streets around where it lay include Blacket Avenue and Middleby Street named after the Dumfriesshire localities of Bell's youth. His son, George Bell FRSE (1777–1832) commissioned architect James Gillespie Graham (1776–1855) to prepare plans for housing and the subdivision of the land into plots. Family Prior to marriage he lived as Gosford Close on the Royal Mile. Bell married Grizel Hamilton, daughter of the Very Rev Prof Robert Hamilton FRSE (1707–1787), in 1774. After marriage he moved to a handsome house on Old Assembly Close. They had several sons who rose to prominence in Edinburgh society: George Bell FRSE (1777–1832), Robert Bell FRSE (1782–1861), William Bell FRSE (1783–1849) Dynasty Bell was the progenitor of one of the great Edinburgh surgical dynasties. His son Joseph, grandson Benjamin and great-grandson Joseph (1837–1911) were all surgeons in Edinburgh, and all became presidents of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. His son George Bell (1777-1832) was the official surgeon to H.M. King George IV when visiting Scotland in 1822. His great-grandson Joseph Bell (1837–1911), was known for his diagnostic abilities, which depended on his ability to observe minute details. This