Alexander Gunn (1845–1914) was a Scottish physician. Through his early association with Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister at the

Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, or RIE, often (but incorrectly) known as the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, or ERI, was established in 1729 and is the oldest voluntary hospital in Scotland. The new buildings of 1879 were claimed to be the largest v ...

, he was one of the first doctors to champion the use antiseptic surgery.

Early life

He was born in 1845 at Lybster in

Caithness Caithness ( gd, Gallaibh ; sco, Caitnes; non, Katanes) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. Caithness has a land boundary with the historic county of Sutherland to the west and is otherwise bounded by ...

, Scotland, where his parents Robert and Christina Gunn kept a hotel. He went South to Edinburgh at the age of 14. His early career there was spent qualifying himself as a chemist and druggist under Dr Robertson of George Street in Edinburgh.

Professional career

After his early training as a chemist he was appointed senior apothecary and dispenser to the

. He spent ten years in this post during which time he attended classes at Edinburgh University and the

Royal College of Surgeons The Royal College of Surgeons is an ancient college (a form of corporation) established in England to regulate the activity of surgeons. Derivative organisations survive in many present and former members of the Commonwealth. These organisations a ...

with a view to gaining medical qualifications. In 1877, aged 33, he took the diploma of Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians (LRCP) and the S. Edin diploma and nine years later in 1886 he graduated with his Doctorate of Medicine from St. Andrews University. He then entered private practice and acted as medical officer to the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. He first became involved with Joseph Lister's work and discoveries in the development of the antiseptic system in surgery, while they both worked at the

. He subsequently championed and used the new principles of antiseptic medicine. His reputation in this field was subsequently recognised in his obituary in the ''British Medical Journal'' or

BMJ ''The BMJ'' is a weekly peer-reviewed medical trade journal, published by the trade union the British Medical Association (BMA). ''The BMJ'' has editorial freedom from the BMA. It is one of the world's oldest general medical journals. Origina ...

Private life

He married Jean Bakie (1853 -1913) and they ultimately settled in 44

George Square, Edinburgh George Square ( gd, Ceàrnag Sheòrais) is a city square in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is in the south of the city centre, adjacent to The Meadows (park), the Meadows. It was laid out in 1766 outside the overcrowded Old Town, Edinburgh, Old Town, ...

on what is now the site of the 1967 Basil Spence Edinburgh University Library. They had two sons and three daughters (George, Bertie, Christina, Jean and Meta). According to the 1905 valuation role Dr Gunn built up a considerable property portfolio including a tenement block and a number of houses,1905 City of Edinburgh Valuation role Ref VR100/237/77 however at the time of his death the family were left without means. One of the daughters, Jean, had to have her fare paid to India so that she could marry her childhood friend Andrew Geddis. Gunn died of cancer and is buried in the Grange Cemetery in Edinburgh.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gunn, Alexander 1845 births 1914 deaths 19th-century English medical doctors Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Alumni of the University of St Andrews People from Caithness