William Miller Ord, FRCP (23 September 1834 – 14 May 1902) was a British

medical scientist Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practice ...

. He was a surgeon at St. Thomas Hospital 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 ...

, where he worked for 50 years.

Biography

Ord was born in 1834, the son of George Ord, MRCS, a surgeon who practiced in

Brixton Brixton is a district in south London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th ce ...

. He received his medical education at

St Thomas' Hospital St Thomas' Hospital is a large NHS teaching hospital in Central London, England. It is one of the institutions that compose the King's Health Partners, an academic health science centre. Administratively part of the Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foun ...

, where he entered in 1852, and at

London University The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree- ...

. He became 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 1855, and a member of the

Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of physicians by examination. Founded by royal charter from King Henry VIII in 1 ...

in 1869 (later elected a

Fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

in 1875). At St. Thomas′, he was successively surgical registrar, house surgeon, lecturer in comparative anatomy, lecturer in physiology, assistant physician lecturer in medicine, and physician. He was also elected Dean of the Medical School. In 1879 he described Ord's thyroiditis.
He was an active member of the

Medical Society of London The Medical Society of London is one of the oldest surviving medical societies (being organisations of voluntary association, rather than regulation or training) in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1773 by the Quaker physician and philanthrop ...

, and was president of the society in 1885. Ord died at The Hall, in

Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...

, residence of his son, on 14 May 1902.

Selected publications

''Notes on Comparative Anatomy''
(1871)
''On the Relation of Uric Acid to Gout''
(1874) * ''On Myxoedema, a term proposed to be applied to an essential condition in the cretinoid infection observed in middle aged women.'' Transactions of The Medical - Chirurgical Society Of London 1878; 61: 57 * ''On the Influence of Colloids Upon Crystalline Form and Cohesion'' (1879)
''On Some Disorders of Nutrition Related With Affections of the Nervous System''
(1885) * ''Report of a committee of the Clinical Society of London nominated December 14, 1883, to investigate the subject of myxoedema.'' Trans. Clin. Soc. Lond. 1888; 21 (Suppl)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ord, William Miller category:1834 births category:1902 deaths category:alumni of the University of London category:British surgeons category:Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians category:gout researchers