Walter Hamilton Hylton Jessop (1852 – 16 February 1917) was a Hunterian Professor of comparative anatomy and physiology (1887–88),

Ophthalmic Surgeon Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a medic ...

(to the Western General Dispensary, the Foundling Hospital and to the Children's Hospital at Paddington Green), Senior

St Bartholomew's Hospital St Bartholomew's Hospital, commonly known as Barts, is a teaching hospital located in the City of London. It was founded in 1123 and is currently run by Barts Health NHS Trust. History Early history Barts was founded in 1123 by Rahere (died ...

(1901), President of the Ophthalmological Society of the United Kingdom (1915–17) and someone who "made a unique position for himself in the ophthalmological world and was probably the best known of English ophthalmic surgeons to his brethren on the Continent of Europe."

Early life and education

Jessop was born in 1852, the son of Walter Jessop, a surgeon, from

Cheltenham Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...

. He was educated at

Bedford Modern School Bedford Modern School (often called BMS) is a Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference independent school in Bedford, England. The school has its origins in Bedford Charity, The Harpur Trust, born from the financial endowment, endowments le ...

and

Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Gonville and Caius College, often referred to simply as Caius ( ), is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1348, it is the fourth-oldest of the University of Cambridge's 31 colleges and one of th ...

(Matric. Michs. 1872; Tancred Scholar, 1872; B.A. 1876; M.B. and M.A. 1886).

Career

Jessop joined the staff of

(1882). He became Senior Demonstrator in anatomy at

(1882–94), Hunterian Professor of comparative anatomy and physiology (1887-8) and was subsequently

to the Western General Dispensary, to the

Foundling Hospital The Foundling Hospital in London, England, was founded in 1739 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" w ...

and to the Children's Hospital at Paddington Green. He was made Senior

in 1901. Jessop was President of the Ophthalmological Society of the United Kingdom between 1915 and 1917, and made exhaustive research on the action of cocaine on the eye. According to his obituary, he 'made a unique position for himself in the ophthalmological world and was probably the best known of English ophthalmic surgeons to his brethren on the Continent of Europe'. He was made a Member of the

Royal College of Surgeons The Royal College of Surgeons is an ancient college (a form of corporation) established in England to regulate the activity of surgeons. Derivative organisations survive in many present and former members of the Commonwealth. These organisations a ...

in 1880 and a Fellow of the

in 1884. Jessop was an author, of ''Manual on Diseases of the Eye'' (2nd ed., 1908), ''Manual of Ophthalmic Surgery and Medicine'', and other works. In his later years, he assisted in arranging a ''British Journal of Ophthalmology''. He was a J.P. for

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Berk ...

Death

Jessop died on 16 February 1917.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jessop, Walter 1853 births 1917 deaths British ophthalmologists Alumni of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge People educated at Bedford Modern School