Jonathan Campbell Meakins (18 May 1882 – 12 October 1959) was a Canadian physician and medical author and member of the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. In authorship he is known as J. C. Meakins. He published over 160 works, including the textbook ''The Practice of Medicine''. He was also the founder and first president of the

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (french: Collège royal des médecins et chirurgiens du Canada) is a regulatory college which acts as a national, Non-profit organization, nonprofit organization established in 1929 by a speci ...

. He was the Dean of the McGill University's Faculty of Medicine from 1941-1948.

Life

Meakins was born on 16 May 1882 in

Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. Hamilton has a Canada 2016 Census, population of 569,353, and its Census Metropolitan Area, census metropolitan area, which includes Burlington, ...

, the son of Elizabeth Campbell and Charles William Meakins. He received his

medical degree A medical degree is a professional degree admitted to those who have passed coursework in the fields of medicine and/or surgery from an accredited medical school. Obtaining a degree in medicine allows for the recipient to continue on into special ...

from the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's ...

in 1904. In 1909 he joined McGill University's Faculty of Medicine as a Demonstrator in Clinical Medicine. In 1912 he was appointed Secretary to the Committee on Experimental Medicine.McGill Medicine: The Second Half of the Century 1885–1936, by Joseph Hanaway and Richard Cruess While at McGill University, he held a number of positions in

pathology Pathology is the study of the causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in ...

and experimental medicine before becoming Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, a position he held from 1941 to 1948. In addition, he served as director of the Department of Experimental Medicine from 1918 to 1919 and 1924–1948, and Director of the University Medical Clinic from 1927 to 1948. 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 in the Canadian Army Medical Corps. After studying

posttraumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder that can develop because of exposure to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, child abuse, domestic violence, or other threats ...

and gas poisoning during the World War I, he became Deputy Director of Medical Services with the rank of brigadier during the

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, and was created a

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

for his services. After the war, in 1919, he took up the post as Professor of Therapeutics 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 ...

. In 1922 he was elected a

Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 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 socie ...

. His proposers were James Lorrain Smith, Henry Briggs, Sir James Walker and

James Hartley Ashworth James Hartley Ashworth FRS FRSE DSc SZS (2 May 1874 – 4 February 1936) was a British marine zoologist. Life See He was born on 2, May 1874, in Accrington in Lancashire, the only son of James Ashworth. He spent most of his early life in Bu ...

. While at the University of Edinburgh, he was one of the first medical researchers to administer and study the effects of insulin. In 1924 he moved back to Canada as Professor of Medicine at

McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous ...

where he remained until his retirement in 1947. He died in

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple ...

on 12 October 1959.

Family

Meakins married twice, first to Dorothy Brown (died 1926) and then to Sara Caldwell Young. He is father to Jonathan Lafayette Meakins and grandfather of Jonathan Larmonth Meakins.

Publications

*Meakins, Jonathan Campbell (1936). The practice of medicine (1st ed.). St. Louis: C. V. Mosby Company. p. xv, 1343. * *

References

External links

Jonathan Campbell Meakins fonds
Osler Library of the History of Medicine,

. Fonds contains personal and professional records documenting Meakins' life and work. Canadian military doctors Academics of the University of Edinburgh McGill University faculty People from Hamilton, Ontario 1882 births 1959 deaths 20th-century Canadian physicians Canadian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire {{Canada-med-bio-stub