Professorships for Medicine in Edinburgh (connected with the College of Surgeons), and several attempts had been made to introduce a general course of Medical instruction; but it was not until the year 1720 that this University distinguished itself. Several gentlemen who had studied under Boerhaave with the view to revive the study of Medicine in their native country where it had formerly flourished, qualified themselves for the purpose of giving courses of public lectures on every branch of their profession. The celebrated Monro taught Anatomy after having studied it for several years under the ablest masters then in Europe. The Theory of Physic was assigned to the amiable, the humane Dr. Sinclair; Drs. Rutherford and Innes chose the Practice; Chemistry was allotted to Dr. Plummer; and the teaching of Materia Medica (of which last he was appointed King’s Professor) devolved upon the learned and indefatigable Alston.”[1] With what success the labors of these enterprising men were crowned, the record of the uniform, unswerving advancement of the Medical School of Edinburgh, and its eminent position now, afford the evidence. Has not the institution which was founded by Morgan and Shippen, by Kuhn and Rush, and Bond, been found equally worthy of praise and admiration?
Lectures upon anatomy were given in Edinburgh in 1694, by Mr. Monteith, and subsequently he delivered lectures on chemistry. Mr. Robert Eliot was appointed, in 1705, the first Professor of Anatomy in the University. To him succeeded, in 1714, Mr. Drummond, who had associated with him Mr. Magill, but in consequence of the difficulty of procuring subjects and of numerous drawbacks, which rendered their instruction irregular and unsatisfactory, they, in 1720, withdrew in favor of Mr. Alexander Monro, who is justly considered as the founder of the Anatomical School of Edinburgh. His first lecture was public. “The Lord Provost, accompanied by his friends in the Magistracy, the President and Fellows of the College of Physicians, and the President, accompanied by the Members of the College of Surgeons, honored him with their presence.”[2]
