Sir Alexander Russell Simpson FRCPE FRSE LLD (20 April 1835–6 April1916) was a Scottish physician and Professor of Midwifery at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

. He invented the axis-traction forceps also known as the obstetrics forceps which assisted in childbirth and reducing pain.

Life

Simpson was born in

Bathgate Bathgate ( sco, Bathket or , gd, Both Chèit) is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, west of Livingston, Scotland, Livingston and adjacent to the M8 motorway (Scotland), M8 motorway. Nearby towns are Armadale, West Lothian, Armadale, Blackburn, ...

on 30 April 1835, the son of Alexander Simpson (1797–1877), and nephew of

James Young Simpson Sir James Young Simpson, 1st Baronet, (7 June 1811 – 6 May 1870) was a Scottish obstetrician and a significant figure in the history of medicine. He was the first physician to demonstrate the anesthetic, anaesthetic properties of chloroform ...

. He was educated locally then studied medicine primarily at the

but also at Montpellier,

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

and

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, graduating with an MD in 1856 with the thesis ''"On the anatomy of the umbilical cord" .'' From 1865 to 1870 he operated a doctor's surgery in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

at 1 Blythswood Square. In 1870, on the death of his uncle, Professor James Young Simpson, he inherited his uncle's large townhouse at 52 Queen Street in Edinburgh and returned to that city, also taking over his uncle's position at the University of Edinburgh as Professor of Midwifery. In 1871 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh his proposer being

John Hutton Balfour John Hutton Balfour (15 September 1808 – 11 February 1884) was a Scottish botanist. Balfour became a Professor of Botany, first at the University of Glasgow in 1841, moving to the University of Edinburgh and also becoming the 7th Regius Kee ...

. He was President of the Medico-Chirurgical Society in 1889 and President of the

Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) is a medical royal college in Scotland. It is one of three organisations that sets the specialty training standards for physicians in the United Kingdom. It was established by Royal charter ...

from 1891 to 1893. He was a member of the United Free Church of Scotland and helped to run the Carrubbers Close Mission. He was a strong supporter of the

Temperance Movement The temperance movement is a social movement promoting temperance or complete abstinence from consumption of alcoholic beverages. Participants in the movement typically criticize alcohol intoxication or promote teetotalism, and its leaders emph ...

. He retired in 1905 and was knighted in 1906. He died in a road accident on 6 April 1916, and was buriedon 10 April in

Grange Cemetery The Grange (originally St Giles' Grange) is an affluent suburb of Edinburgh, just south of the city centre, with Morningside and Greenhill to the west, Newington to the east, The Meadows park and Marchmont to the north, and Blackford Hil ...

in the south of Edinburgh. The grave lies in the main south-west section.

Publications

*''On the Head Flexion in Labour'' (1879) *''Contributions to Obstetrics and Gynaecology'' (1880) *'' Obstetrics'' in the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' Eleventh Edition (1911)

Family

In 1872 he married Margaret Stewart Barbour (died 1911), sister of Professor Alexander Hugh Freeland Barbour. She was an author and wrote ''Awakings or Butterfly Chrysalids'' in 1892. Their children included

and

George Freeland Barbour Simpson Dr George Freeland Barbour Simpson FRSE Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, FRCPE Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, FRCSE Justice of the Peace, JP (21 September 1874 – 8 April 1958) was a 20th-century Scottish physician and Gynaecolo ...

(1875–1958). He was grandfather to the geographer Alexander Rudolph Barbour Simpson FRSE (died 1977). He was paternal uncle to Thomas Blantyre Simpson FRSE QC.

Artistic recognition

His sketch portrait of 1884, by William Brassey Hole, is held by the

Scottish National Portrait Gallery The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is an art museum on Queen Street, Edinburgh. The gallery holds the national collections of portraits, all of which are of, but not necessarily by, Scots. It also holds the Scottish National Photography Co ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Alexander Russell 1835 births 1916 deaths Scottish obstetricians People from Bathgate People associated with Edinburgh Liberal Party (UK) parliamentary candidates Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Academics of the University of Edinburgh Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh