Richard Poole (1783–1871) was a Scottish physician, psychiatrist, and

phrenologist Phrenology () is a pseudoscience which involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental traits.Wihe, J. V. (2002). "Science and Pseudoscience: A Primer in Critical Thinking." In ''Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience'', pp. 195–203. C ...

Life

Poole was born 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 27 November 1781, from an English background. His father Matthew Poole (or Pool) owned a coffee house and hotel at 1

Princes Street Princes Street ( gd, Sràid nam Prionnsan) is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland and the main shopping street in the capital. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1.2 km (three ...

and lived above. By 1800 his father is retired and living at Reid's Close on the

Canongate The Canongate is a street and associated district in central Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland. The street forms the main eastern length of the Royal Mile while the district is the main eastern section of Edinburgh's Old Town. It began ...

Edinburgh's Old Town The Old Town ( sco, Auld Toun) is the name popularly given to the oldest part of Scotland's capital city of Edinburgh. The area has preserved much of its medieval street plan and many Reformation-era buildings. Together with the 18th/19th-cent ...

. Poole studied Medicine and graduated M.D. at the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

in 1805. He was editor of the ''

New Edinburgh Review New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz (South Korean band), The Boyz Albums and EPs * New (album), ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartn ...

'', and published articles promoting phrenology in the early 1820s; it existed 1821 to 1823. Poole was also first editor of the ''Phrenological Journal''. Poole joined the editorial staff of the '' Encyclopædia Edinensis'' under James Millar. In 1820 he was living at 23 Broughton Street, a flat in Edinburgh's east end. Asylum Montrose 1840

From 1820 Poole campaigned for a new

infirmary Infirmary may refer to: *Historically, a hospital, especially a small hospital *A first aid room in a school, prison, or other institution *A dispensary (an office that dispenses medications) *A clinic A clinic (or outpatient clinic or ambu ...

in Edinburgh. In 1825 he was elected a Fellow 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 ...

. In 1829 he was elected a member of the

Aesculapian Club The Aesculapian Club of Edinburgh is one of the oldest medical dining clubs in the world. It was founded in April 1773 by Dr. Andrew Duncan. Membership of the Club is limited to 11 Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh a ...

. In the late 1830s he was a pioneer advocate of mental health reform, and in 1838 he became superintendent of the Montrose Asylum, succeeding W. A. F. Browne. He remained at Montrose until 1845. He then kept a private asylum at Middlefield, Aberdeenshire. Poole died in

Coupar Angus Coupar Angus (; Scottish Gaelic, Gaelic: ''Cùbar Aonghais'') is a town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, south of Blairgowrie and Rattray, Blairgowrie. The name Coupar Angus serves to differentiate the town from Cupar, Fife. The town was traditi ...

on 18 February 1870 aged 88 at the house of his daughter, Mrs Kirkwood. He is buried with his wife in the churchyard of St. Machar's Cathedral in

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

Works

*''An Essay on Education'' (1825). In this work, from the ''Encyclopædia Edinensis'', Poole acknowledges help in early life from Archibald Alison. He advocated education in cases of

mental retardation Intellectual disability (ID), also known as general learning disability in the United Kingdom and formerly mental retardation,Rosa's Law, Pub. L. 111-256124 Stat. 2643(2010). is a generalized neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by signific ...

. *''A Letter to Andrew Duncan, Senior, M.D. ... Regarding the Establishment of a New Infirmary'' (1825). Pamphlet addressed to

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 An ...

on the infirmary question; Duncan replied to the agitation for a new infirmary in a letter to

William Fettes Sir William Fettes, 1st Baronet (; 25 June 1750 – 27 May 1836) was a wealthy Scottish businessman and philanthropist, who left a bequest which led to the foundation of Fettes College, in Edinburgh. Life The Fettes family came from nor ...

. *''Report on Examination of Medical Practitioners'' (1833) *''Memoranda regarding the Royal Lunatic Asylum, Infirmary, and Dispensary, of Montrose'' (1841) He is credited with dramas, including "Willie Armstrong" performed in Edinburgh in 1829. Poole also wrote for the ''

Edinburgh Encyclopædia The ''Edinburgh Encyclopædia'' is an encyclopaedia in 18 volumes, printed and published by William Blackwood and edited by David Brewster between 1808 and 1830. In competition with the Edinburgh-published ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', the ''Edin ...

'' and ''

Encyclopædia Britannica The (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various time ...

''. A list of publications appeared in ''Scottish Notes and Queries''.

Family

An epitaph gives Jane Caird as Poole's wife; it also records his dates as 1781 to 1870. Their children included Samuel Wordsworth Poole, a physician and episcopal clergyman.

Artistic Recognition

A bust of Poole is held at the

. It was donated by his daughter, Mrs Sandeman of

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 ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Poole, Richard 1783 births 1871 deaths Heads of psychiatric hospitals 19th-century Scottish medical doctors Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Phrenologists Alumni of the University of St Andrews