William Burke death mask, National Portrait Gallery

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Mar 242017
 

William Burke death maskLibrary, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen St, Edinburgh EH2 1JD

The advocates of the ‘science’ of phrenology claimed that the brain was composed of a number of organs, including organs of ‘destructiveness’ or ‘benevolence’ and ‘hope’. They believed that the character of a person could be determined from the shape of their skull, which mirrored the development of these organs. They were therefore very interested in collecting casts of the heads of remarkable people, whether geniuses or criminals. This is just such as cast of the head of the notorious murderer, William Hare, taken after his execution in 1829.

Entry to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery is free.

L0022893 George Combe, names of phrenological organs, 1836 Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images images@wellcome.ac.uk http://wellcomeimages.org Names of the phrenological organs Outlines of phrenology George A. Combe Published: 1836 Copyrighted work available under Creative Commons Attribution only licence CC BY 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The phrenological organs, from George Combe, Outlines of Phrenology (1836).

Portrait of William Burke by George Andrew Lutenor; a portrait painter who was also one of the jurors at William Hare's trial, 1829.

Portrait of William Burke by George Andrew Lutenor; a portrait painter who was also one of the jurors at William Hare’s trial, 1829.

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Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

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Mar 242017
 

9 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JQ

Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh was established by Royal Charter in 1681. Its 21 founding members included such notable figures as Sir Robert Sibbald, Andrew Balfour, Thomas Burnet, Alexander Stevenson and Archibald Pitcairn. Then as now, it was responsible for the training and certification of physicians. Originally based in Fountain Close on the Cowgate, after a period occupying a variety of other premises the RCPE moved to its current purpose-built premises in Queen Street after its completion in 1846.

No public access without prior arrangement.

Robert Sibbald (1641–1722).

Robert Sibbald (1641–1722).

 

Site of the College Dispensary

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Mar 242017
 

Fountain Close, High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TF

Fountain Close, site of the Edinburgh College Dispensary.

In 1682 the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh decided to establish a Dispensary to provide medical services to the poor in Fountain Close. This was the first ever attempt to provide free medical treatment in the city. Two physicians were to be appointed for a twelve month term to visit the sick poor and provide free advice and treatment. From 1705, treatment was also provided on-site to patients able to come to the Dispensary. When the new Edinburgh Royal Infirmary was opened in 1729, the Dispensary was amalgamated with it.

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Edinburgh School of Medicine for Women

 History of Medicine  5 Responses »
Mar 242017
 

Edinburgh School of Medicine for Women30 Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1HU

In 1886, six years before the first women were admitted to study medicine at the Scottish Universities, Sophia Jex-Blake set up the Edinburgh School of Medicine for Women in Chambers Street. During its existence it educated approximately 80 women, with 33 of them completing the course. During its existence the school was never entirely free of financial difficulties and it closed its doors for the last time in 1898. By this time the battle to gain access to medical education had largely been won and the Scottish Universities had been admitting women to study medicine since 1892.

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Sophia Jex-Blake (1840–1912).

Sophia Jex-Blake (1840–1912).

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Site of William Gregory’s laboratory

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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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