James Fernandez Clarke (1812–1876) was an English surgeon and medical writer.

Life

Clarke was born at Olney, Buckinghamshire; his father and grandfather were prosperous

lace Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is divided into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, such as knitted o ...

merchants. After one or two brief apprenticeships, in 1828 he was placed under C. Snitch, a general practitioner, in Brydges Street, Covent Garden. Here he managed to get the run of Thomas Cadell the younger's library in the

Strand Strand may refer to: Topography *The flat area of land bordering a body of water, a: ** Beach ** Shoreline * Strand swamp, a type of swamp habitat in Florida Places Africa * Strand, Western Cape, a seaside town in South Africa * Strand Street ...

, and became acquainted with literature and literary people. In October 1833 Clarke entered at Dermott's Medical School in Gerrard Street, Soho, as a medical student. For a time he acted as Dermott's amanuensis, and afterwards aided Michael Ryan in the ''London Medical and Surgical Journal''. In 1834

Robert Liston Robert Liston (28 October 1794 – 7 December 1847) was a British surgeon. Liston was noted for his speed and skill in an era prior to anaesthetics, when speed made a difference in terms of pain and survival. He was the first Professor of Cl ...

noticed a report by Clarke of one of his cases, and introduced him to

Thomas Wakley Thomas Wakley (11 July 179516 May 1862) was an English surgeon. He gained fame as a social reformer who campaigned against incompetence, privilege and nepotism. He was the founding editor of ''The Lancet'', a radical Member of Parliament (MP) a ...

, editor of ''

The Lancet ''The Lancet'' is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal and one of the oldest of its kind. It is also the world's highest-impact academic journal. It was founded in England in 1823. The journal publishes original research articles, ...

''; who took on Clarke. He became a clinical reporter at hospitals, and also was for many years reported on medical societies, ducking most of the rows which ''The Lancet'' provoked. For 30 years Clarke was on the ''Lancet'', and at the same time carried on a medical practice in Gerrard Street; he became a licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries in 1837, and 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 1852. He died on 6 July 1875.

Works

On ceasing to write for ''The Lancet'', published his reminiscences in the ''Medical Times and Gazette''. These were brought out in 1874 as ''Autobiographical Recollections of the Medical Profession'', covering medical men, with anecdotes of literary and public characters.

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Clarke, James Fernandez 1812 births 1876 deaths English surgeons English medical writers People from Buckinghamshire English male non-fiction writers Amanuenses