Daniel John Cunningham M.D., D.C.L., LL. D. F.R.S.,

F.R.S.E. The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...

F.R.A.I. (15 April 1850 – 23 July 1909) was a Scottish physician, zoologist, and anatomist, famous for ''Cunningham's Text-book of Anatomy'' and ''Cunningham's Manual of Practical Anatomy''.

Biography

Cunningham was born in the manse at

Crieff Crieff (; gd, Craoibh, meaning "tree") is a Scottish market town in Perth and Kinross on the A85 road between Perth and Crianlarich, and the A822 between Greenloaning and Aberfeldy. The A822 joins the A823 to Dunfermline. Crieff has become ...

, the son of the Very Rev John Cunningham (1819-1893) and of his wife Susan Porteous Murray. His father became Moderator of the General Assembly in 1886. Following education at Crieff Academy he studied medicine 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 ...

, where he qualified as Bachelor of Medicine and Master of Surgery (M.B. C.M.) with first class honours in 1874 and attained his M.D. in 1876, receiving a Gold Medal for his thesis. From 1876 until 1882 he acted as a demonstrator for his professor at the university. After one year as Professor of Anatomy at the

Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is a medical professional and educational institution, which is also known as RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ireland's first private university. It was established in 1784 ...

(in Dublin) he moved to the chair of Anatomy at

Trinity College, Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...

, which he held from 1883 to 1903. On the appointment of Sir William Turner to the post of Principal and Vice-Chancellor at the University of Edinburgh he was invited to succeed him as Professor of Anatomy and he held that post from 1903 until his death. His ''Text-book of Anatomy'', first published in 1902, went through 15 editions under various editors: the first three editions were prepared under Cunningham's editorship. He was at various times president of the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland, secretary and vice-president of the

Royal Dublin Society The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) ( ga, Cumann Ríoga Bhaile Átha Cliath) is an Irish philanthropic organisation and members club which was founded as the 'Dublin Society' on 25 June 1731 with the aim to see Ireland thrive culturally and economi ...

and president of the

Anatomical Society The Anatomical Society (AS), previously known as the Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland or ASGBI was founded in London in 1887 to "promote, develop and advance research and education in all aspects of anatomical science". The society o ...

(1893–95). Cunningham was also editor of the

Journal of Anatomy The ''Journal of Anatomy'' is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal published by Wiley on behalf of the Anatomical Society. It covers all aspects of anatomy and morphology. The journal was first published in 1867 and was originally known as ...

between 1900 and 1907. He was elected a fellow of the

, 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 ...

, the

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

(1891) and the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...

. In 1878 he was elected a fellow of the

. His proposers were

Sir William Turner Sir William Turner (7 January 1832, in Lancaster, Lancashire, Lancaster – 15 February 1916, in Edinburgh) was an English anatomist and was the Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1903 to 1916. Life Turner was born in Lancaster ...

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 ...

Alexander Crum Brown Alexander Crum Brown FRSE FRS (26 March 1838 – 28 October 1922) was a Scottish organic chemist. Alexander Crum Brown Road in Edinburgh's King's Buildings complex is named after him. Early life and education Crum Brown was born at 4 Belle ...

, and James Bryce. He died unexpectedly at home, 18 Grosvenor Crescent in Edinburgh's West End, on 23 July 1909 and was buried with his wife, Elizabeth, and children near the eastern side of

Dean Cemetery The Dean Cemetery is a historically important Victorian cemetery north of the Dean Village, west of Edinburgh city centre, in Scotland. It lies between Queensferry Road and the Water of Leith, bounded on its east side by Dean Path and on ...

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 ...

, close to the Dean Gallery entrance. His position as professor of anatomy was filled by Arthur Robinson.

Family

In 1878, he married Elizabeth Cumming Browne, eldest daughter of Rev Andrew Browne, minister of the parish of Beith in Ayrshire, and had by her three sons and two daughters. His eldest son Lt Col John Cunningham MD

FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This soci ...

(1882-1968) was a physician and bacteriologist in the

Indian Medical Service The Indian Medical Service (IMS) was a military medical service in British India, which also had some civilian functions. It served during the two World Wars, and remained in existence until the independence of India in 1947. Many of its officer ...

. His two younger sons were Admiral of the Fleet

Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope, (7 January 1883 – 12 June 1963) was a senior officer of the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He was widely known by his initials, "ABC". Cunningham ...

, and

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

Sir

Alan Cunningham General (United Kingdom), General Sir Alan Gordon Cunningham, (1 May 1887 – 30 January 1983) was a senior Officer (armed forces), officer of the British Army noted for his victories over Italian forces in the East African Campaign (World War ...

, both decorated veterans of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. Cunningham's daughter Elizabeth Cumming Cunningham married Dr

Edwin Bramwell Edwin Bramwell FRSE PRCPE LLD (1873–1952) was a 20th-century Scottish neurologist. He was President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh from 1933 to 1935. Life He was born in North Shields on 11 January 1873 the son of Martha ...

(1873-1952), a prominent neurologist and son of

Byrom Bramwell Sir Byrom Bramwell FRSE FRCPE LLD (18 December 1847 – 27 April 1931) was an eminent British physician and medical author. He was a general physician, but became known for his work in neurology, diseases of the heart and blood, and disorders of ...

Publications

*''Manual of Practical Anatomy'' *''Textbook of Anatomy'' *Report on the Anatomy of the Marsupials, H.M.S. Challenger Reports, Part XVI *The Lumbar Curve in Man & Apes: Cunningham Memoir No.2, (1886) Royal Irish Academy. *The Spinal Nervous System of the Porpoise & Dolphin (1876) J Anat Physiol.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cunningham, Daniel John 1850 births 1909 deaths People from Crieff Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Scottish anatomists Comparative anatomy Academics of the University of Edinburgh Fellows of the Royal Society Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellows of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland Presidents of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 19th-century Scottish medical doctors 20th-century Scottish medical doctors Academics of Trinity College Dublin Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Journal of Anatomy editors