Site of William Gregory’s laboratory

 History of Medicine  No Responses »
Mar 242017
 

Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh EH8 9YLSite of William Gregory's laboratory.

William Gregory, the discoverer of morphine, was professor of chemistry at the University of Edinburgh from 1844 till his death in 1858. In 1831, while teaching as an ‘extra-academical lecturer’ in chemistry in Edinburgh, he discovered a method of isolating morphine hydrochloride for use in controlling pain. It became commercially available in 1833, manufactured by the Edinburgh pharmaceutical company of John Macfarlane and Rennie Brown. Gregory’s laboratories during his time as a professor at the University were located in the south-west corner of the Old College courtyard, in what is now the Talbot Rice Art Gallery.

Portrait of William Gregory

Portrait of William Gregory (c.1850).

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Site of Norman Dott’s motorcycle accident

 History of Medicine  No Responses »
Mar 242017
 

Site of Norman Dott's motorcycle accident.31 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH1 2DJ

The celebrated surgeon Norman Dott (1897–1973) was originally destined for a career as an engineer and was apprenticed to a local engineering firm. But then in 1913 fate intervened when Dott had a terrible accident while riding his motorcycle at this junction on Lothian Road. While recovering from a serious leg injury in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary he became fascinated by medicine and the treatment he received there and decided to opt for a medical career. Dott studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh and went on to become a pioneering neurosurgeon.

Portrait of Norman Dott.

Portrait of Norman Dott.

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Polish Medical School plaque

 History of Medicine  No Responses »
Mar 242017
 

Old Medical SchoolOld Medical School, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AG

The Polish Medical School at the University of Edinburgh was set up in March 1941 to allow members of the Polish armed forces in Britain to study medicine in their own language and according to a Polish curriculum. By the time the School closed in 1949 over 336 students had studied there, of whom 227 left with a medical diploma and 19 with an MD. The political situation in Poland after the war made it difficult for graduates to return to their home country and most either stayed in the UK or emigrated to North America or Australia.

Polish Medical School Plaque.

Polish Medical School Plaque.

Teaching staff and graduates after the graduation ceremony in the McEwan Hall, July 1942.

Teaching staff and graduates after the graduation ceremony in the McEwan Hall, July 1942.

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Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh plaque

 History of Medicine  No Responses »
Mar 242017
 

Site of old Royal Medical Society.1 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1AD

On this site stood the hall of the Royal Medical Society between 1852 and 1966. The Society was, and still is,  run by students at the University of Edinburgh Medical School. First founded by a group of medical students as the ‘Medical Society’ in 1737, it received its Royal Charter in 1778. The Society has had many illustrious members over the years, including Benjamin Franklin, Charles Darwin and Joseph Lister. It is still in existence but has now moved to new premises on Bristo Square.

Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh plaque.

Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh plaque.

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Royal Medical Society

St Bernard’s Well

 History of Medicine  No Responses »
Mar 242017
 

St Bernard's WellUpper Dean Terrace, Edinburgh EH3 6TS

This natural spring beside the Water of Leith was discovered in 1760 and rapidly became popular with citizens of Edinburgh suffering from a variety of medical conditions. The foul tasting, sulphurous water was claimed to be a cure for all manner of ailments from general aches and pains to blindness. The building in the form of a Ancient Greek temple that now sits over the well was designed by the painter Alexander Nasmyth (1740–1840) and built in 1789. It surrounds a statue of Hygeia, the Greek goddess of health.

Only periodically open to the public on Open Doors Day.

Site of the old Royal Infirmary

 History of Medicine  2 Responses »
Mar 242017
 

Infirmary Street, Edinburgh EH1 1LT

The site of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, 1741–1879.

Edinburgh Royal Infirmary moved to this site in 1741. The old Infirmary, which first opened its doors in the nearby Robertson’s Close in 1729, had only four beds, quite inadequate for the city’s needs.  The new hospital was granted patronage and a charter by King George II and had 228 beds. Over the decades the Infirmary grew to occupy most of the land between Infirmary Street and Drummond Street. By the 1860s the hospital was again proving inadequate and plans were made to move the hospital to Lauriston Place in 1879.

 

 

Royal Infirmary plaque, Infirmary Street.

Royal Infirmary plaque, Infirmary Street.

 

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Site of James Barry’s student lodgings

 History of Medicine  No Responses »
Mar 242017
 

Site of James Barry's student lodgings.74 Potterrow, Edinburgh EH8 9BT

In 1812, long before women could enrol at Edinburgh’s medical school, a woman born under the name Margaret Ann Bulkley (c.1799–1865) successfully graduated with an MD from the University of Edinburgh. This is the site of the house where she lodged as a student. To enrol at the university she had to disguise herself as a man, using the name she is now better known under, James Barry. Barry went on the serve with distinction as a surgeon in the British Army in India and South Africa. Her true gender was only revealed after her death.

James Barry with John, a servant, and his dog, Psyche.

James Barry with John, a servant, and his dog, Psyche.

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The University of Edinburgh: James Barry (1797–1865)

Science Museum: Brought to Life – James Barry (1792 or 1795–1865)

The Royal Observatory Edinburgh

 History of Astronomy, History of Physics  No Responses »
Jul 252016
 
The Royal Observatory.

The Royal Observatory

Blackford Hill View, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ

A new observatory for Edinburgh was opened in 1896 on top of one of the Braid Hills. It was made possible by the largesse of James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford and 9th Earl of Balcarres, a keen and extremely wealthy amateur astronomer, who left his instruments and library to the Scottish nation – now forming the world-renowned Crawford Collection. The situation of the observatory gives it spectacular vistas over the city, Salisbury Crags and Arthur’s Seat. The observatory is still in use and is home to the University of Edinburgh’s  Institute of Astronomy and the UK Astronomy Technology Centre (an establishment of the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council), Higgs Centre for Innovation (a business incubator and innovation facility), several spin-off companies and a Visitor Centre.

It is possible to visit the observatory, but only by prior arrangement. You can find out how to book from the link the the observatory’s website below.

Caricature of James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford

Caricature of James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford (1847–1913)

Detail of the observatory buildings

Detail of the observatory buildings

Star design on the brackets for a downpipe at the Royal Observatory

Star design on the brackets for a downpipe at the Royal Observatory

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Merchiston Castle

 History of Physics  No Responses »
Jul 252016
 

Merchiston Castle.Merchiston Campus, Napier University, 10 Colinton Road, Edinburgh EH10 5DT

Now on the campus of Napier University, Merchiston Castle was once the family home of John Napier (1550–1617). It was here that Napier developed the concept of logarithms. Napier was inspired by the work of Paul Wittich, one of the assistants of the famous Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, whose work was brought back to Scotland by John Craig, a Scot who taught mathematics at the University of Frankfurt an dem Oder. Logarithms have many important applications, including plotting the tranjectories of the rockets that took the first men to the moon.

No public access.

Portrait of John Napier, 1616.

Portrait of John Napier, 1616.

John Napier plaque, Merchiston Castle.

John Napier plaque, Merchiston Castle.

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Outlook tower (Camera Obscura)

 History of Astronomy, History of Physics  No Responses »
Jul 252016
 
The Camera Obscura at the top of the Royal Mile

The Camera Obscura at the top of the Royal Mile

549 Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2ND

Edinburgh is home to the oldest camera obscura in Britain, which first opened in 1853. The original proprietor of this popular tourist attraction was Maria Theresa Short, who came from a family of Edinburgh scientific instrument makers and had previously run a Popular Observatory on Calton Hill, before this was closed by the City Council in 1851. The camera obscura allows visitors to view scenes of the surrounding streets, projected onto a large table in the viewing room. Nowadays the other rooms in the tower are given over to a variety of exhibitions on optics.

The Camera Obscura and World of Illusions is open to the public on purchase of a ticket. See link below for times and prices.

Detail of the Camero Obscura tower.

Detail of the Camero Obscura tower.

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