"Winner of the Jackson prize..."See in text(Chapter I)
The Jackson Prize in Comparative Pathology was an award created in 1800 by a man named Samuel Jackson. As a physician himself, Doyle would have been aware of this award and used it to lend authenticity to Mortimer's medical history.
"Medical Officer for the parishes of Grimpen, Thorsley, and High Barrow..."See in text(Chapter I)
Grimpen, Thorsley, and High Barrow are areas within the larger territory of Dartmoor, one of England's most distinctive landscapes, characterized by rolling hills, rainy weather, low-hanging mists, and many Stone Age barrows.
Watson refers to Charing Cross Hospital, one of London's most important "teaching" hospitals in the mid 19th century. Located on Villiers Street in London, Charing Cross Hospital was founded in 1823 and continues to offer health services today.
When Watson refers to the "Hunt," he is referring to one of the many fox hunting clubs in rural England at the time. In the late 19th century, foxes were considered vermin and were ruthlessly exterminated in rural areas.
"dignified, solid, and reassuring..."See in text(Chapter I)
The reference to "M.R.C.S." stands for Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. When Doyle was writing his Sherlock Holmes novels and stories, surgeons were not considered equal to physicians so they did not carry the title of Doctor as they do now.
