George Freeland Barbour Simpson

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 ...

FRCPE

FRCSE 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 on ...

JP (21 September 1874 – 8 April 1958) was a 20th-century Scottish physician and

gynaecologist Gynaecology or gynecology (see American and British English spelling differences, spelling differences) is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is often paired with ...

. In 1913 he served as President of the Obstetrical Society of Edinburgh.

Life

He was born on 21 September 1874 at 52 Queen Street in Edinburgh the son of Margaret Stewart Barbour, sister of

Alexander Hugh Freeland Barbour Alexander Hugh Freeland Barbour LLD FRSE FRCPE (7 January 1856 – 11 June 1927) was a Scottish gynaecologist and noted medical author. He was President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and co-author of the world-acclaimed ''M ...

, and her husband

Alexander Russell Simpson 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. He invented the axis-traction forceps also known as the obstetrics forceps which ...

. The house where they lived had been inherited on the death of his great uncle,

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 anaesthetic properties of chloroform on humans ...

. He was educated at

George Watson's College George Watson's College is a co-educational Independent school (United Kingdom), independent day school in Scotland, situated on Colinton Road, in the Merchiston area of Edinburgh. It was first established as a Scottish education in the eight ...

(1884-1892), and then 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 ...

, graduating with an MB ChB in 1898 and gaining his MD in 1905. He followed in his father's shoes as head Physician of the Simpson Maternity Hospital in Edinburgh (named after his great uncle). He also lectured in gynaecology at the

. In 1908 he was elected a Fellow of 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 ...

. His proposers were

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

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 Bellev ...

James Cossar Ewart James Cossar Ewart FRS FRSE (26 November 1851 – 31 December 1933) was a Scottish zoologist. He performed breeding experiments with horses and zebras which disproved earlier theories of heredity. Life Ewart was born in Penicuik, Midlo ...

and Cargill Gilston Knott. In 1911 he was elected a member of the Harveian Society of Edinburgh. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

he served as a Major in the

Royal Army Medical Corps The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps a ...

. He died at home, 5 Randolph Cliff in Edinburgh on 8 April 1958.

Family

In 1899, he married his cousin Caroline Elizabeth Barbour. Their children included Alexander Rudolph Barbour Simpson (1900-1977). His brother was the scientist

, and his cousin the politician

George Freeland Barbour Dr George Freeland Barbour DPhil, JP (15 February 1882 – 18 November 1946), was a Scottish author, philosopher and Liberal Party politician. Background He was born in Cults, Aberdeenshire, a son of the Rev Robert William Barbour (1854-1891) o ...

Publications

*''The Edinburgh Stereoscopic Atlas of Obstetrics'' (1909) a curious 3D medical book

References

1874 births 1958 deaths Medical doctors from Edinburgh People educated at George Watson's College Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Scottish obstetricians Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Members of the Harveian Society of Edinburgh {{Scotland-med-bio-stub