Andrew Duncan, the younger (10 August 1773 – 13 May 1832) was a British physician and professor 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 ...
.
Life
![45 York Place, Edinburgh](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/45_York_Place%2C_Edinburgh.jpg)
Duncan was the son of Elizabeth Knox and
Andrew Duncan, the elder
Andrew Duncan, the elder (17 October 1744 – 5 July 1828) FRSE FRCPE FSA (Scot) was a Scottish physician and professor at the University of Edinburgh. He was joint founder of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Life
Duncan was the second son of A ...
, born at Adam Square in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
on 10 August 1773. His early education was at the
High School
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
in Edinburgh. He was then apprenticed (1787–92) to Alexander and George Wood, surgeons of Edinburgh. He graduated with an MA in 1793, and MD in 1794.
Duncan studied in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
in 1794–5 at the
Windmill Street School, under
Matthew Baillie
Matthew Baillie FRS (27 October 1761 – 23 September 1823) was a British physician and pathologist, credited with first identifying transposition of the great vessels (TGV) and situs inversus.
Early life and education
He was born in the mans ...
,
William Cumberland Cruikshank, and
James Wilson James Wilson may refer to:
Politicians and government officials
Canada
*James Wilson (Upper Canada politician) (1770–1847), English-born farmer and political figure in Upper Canada
* James Crocket Wilson (1841–1899), Canadian MP from Quebe ...
. He then made two long visits to the continent, studying medical practice in
Göttingen
Göttingen (, , ; nds, Chöttingen) is a university city in Lower Saxony, central Germany, the capital of the eponymous district. The River Leine runs through it. At the end of 2019, the population was 118,911.
General information
The ori ...
,
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
,
Pisa, and
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
, and meeting
Johann Friedrich Blumenbach
Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (11 May 1752 – 22 January 1840) was a German physician, naturalist, physiologist, and anthropologist. He is considered to be a main founder of zoology and anthropology as comparative, scientific disciplines. He ...
,
Johann Peter Frank,
Antonio Scarpa
Antonio Scarpa (9 May 1752 – 31 October 1832) was an Italian anatomist and professor.
Biography
Scarpa was born to an impoverished family in the frazione of Lorenzaga, Motta di Livenza, Veneto. An uncle, who was a member of the priesthood, gav ...
, and
Lazzaro Spallanzani
Lazzaro Spallanzani (; 12 January 1729 – 11 February 1799) was an Italian Catholic priest (for which he was nicknamed Abbé Spallanzani), biologist and physiologist who made important contributions to the experimental study of bodily function ...
. Returning to Edinburgh, he became a fellow of the
College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and physician to the
Royal Public Dispensary
The Public Dispensary of Edinburgh was the first free-of-charge hospital in Scotland.
History
Edinburgh has a history of providing free medical care to the poor. In first meeting of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, in 1681, the F ...
, assisting his father also in editing the ''
Annals of Medicine
''Annals of Medicine'' is a peer-reviewed medical journal that publishes research articles as well as reviews on a wide range of medical specialties, with a particular focus on internal medicine. The journal covers advances in the understanding of ...
''. He later became physician to the Fever Hospital at
Queensberry House
Queensberry House is a building of 17th-century origin which is now a Category A listed building. It stands on the south side of the Canongate, Edinburgh, Scotland, incorporated into the Scottish Parliament complex on its north-west corner ...
.
In 1807, a professorship of
medical jurisprudence
Medical jurisprudence or legal medicine is the branch of science and medicine involving the study and application of scientific and medical knowledge to legal problems, such as inquests, and in the field of law. As modern medicine is a legal ...
and
medical police
''Medical Police'' is an American comedy streaming television series, created by Rob Corddry, Krister Johnson, Jonathan Stern and David Wain, that premiered on Netflix on January 10, 2020. It is a spin-off of the short-form alt-comedy series ' ...
was created at Edinburgh, with Duncan as first professor, with an endowment of £100 per annum; but attendance at lectures in this subject was not made compulsory.
From 1809 to 1822, he acted as secretary of the university's
academic senate and librarian; while from 1816 until his death he was an active member of the college commission for rebuilding the university, including the Adam-Playfair buildings. In 1819 he resigned his professorship of medical jurisprudence on being appointed joint professor with his father of the institutes of medicine. In 1821 he was elected without opposition professor of ''materia medica''.
In 1827, Duncan had a severe attack of fever, and his strength afterwards gradually declined. He lectured until nearly the end of the session 1831–2, and died at his home at 45 York Place on 13 May 1832, aged 58.
He is buried in
St Johns Churchyard on
Princes Street.
Works
Duncan in 1803 published the ''Edinburgh New Dispensatory'', an improved version of
William Lewis's work. This became very popular, a 10th edition appearing in 1822. It was translated into German and French, and was several times republished in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. He published a supplement to it in 1829. From 1805, he was for many years chief editor of the ''
Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal
The ''Scottish Medical Journal'' is a general medical journal, which publishes original research in all branches of medicine, review articles, history of medicine articles, and clinical memoranda. The editor-in-chief is Ghulam Nabi (University o ...
'', which gained a leading position in the field.
In 1809, he contributed to the ''Transactions'' of the
Highland Society a "Treatise on the Diseases which are incident to Sheep in Scotland". He also published in 1818 ''Reports of the Practice in the Clinical Wards of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh''. Perhaps his most distinctive discovery was the isolation of the principle ''
cinchonin'' from cinchona, as related in ''
Nicholson's Journal'', 2nd ser. volume vi. December 1803. Besides writing copiously in his own ''Journal'', he also wrote occasionally for the ''
Edinburgh Review''.
*''The Edinburgh new Dispensatory : containing 1. The Elements of pharmaceutical Chemistry ; 2. The Materia Medica; or the natural, pharmaceutical and medical History, or the Substances employed in Medicine ; 3. The pharmaceutical Preparations and Compositions ; including Translations of the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia published in 1805, of the Dublin Pharmacopoeia in 1807, and of the London Pharmacopoeia in 1815''. 8th Ed. Edinburgh : Bell & Bradfute, 1816
Digital Editionby the
University and State Library Düsseldorf
*'' On the Diseases of Sheep''
Trained by Duncan
*
James Scarth Combe, surgeon and later president of the
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) is a professional organisation of surgeons. The College has seven active faculties, covering a broad spectrum of surgical, dental, and other medical practices. Its main campus is located o ...
Family
He was married to Mary Macfarquhar. Their daughter Margaret Duncan married William Scott of Teviot Bank.
[Grave of Margaret Duncan, Dean Cemetery]
Notes
References
;Attribution
*; Endnotes:
**Chambers's Biography. Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen, ed. Thomson
**Grant's Story of
Edinburgh University
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted ...
.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duncan, Andrew, The Younger
1773 births
1832 deaths
Medical doctors from Edinburgh
Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Academics of the University of Edinburgh
18th-century Scottish people
19th-century Scottish people
18th-century Scottish medical doctors
19th-century Scottish medical doctors
Scottish medical writers
British forensic scientists
Scottish surgeons
Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Presidents of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Burials at St John's, Edinburgh