Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Black, James
BLACK, JAMES (1788?–1867), physician, was born in Scotland about 1788. He was admitted a licentiate of the Edinburgh College of Surgeons in 1809, and then entered the royal navy. At the end of the was he retired on half-pay and began practice at Newton Stewart, but shortly afterwards removed to Bolton, where he resided until 1839. From that date to 1848 he practised at Manchester, and again at Bolton until 1856. He eventually removed to Edinburgh, where he died on 30 April 1867, aged 79. Dr. Black was an M.D. of Glasgow, 1820; a licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons, 1823; and F.R.C.P., 1860. He was for some time physician to the Bolton Infirmary and Dispensary, and to the Manchester Union Hospital; president of the British Medical Association, 1842; and of the Manchester Geological Society. His contributions to medical literature include: 1. ‘An Inquiry into the Capillary Circulation of the Blood and the intimate Nature of Inflammation,’ London, 1825, 8vo. 2. ‘A Comparative View of the more intimate Nature of Fever,’ London, 1926, 8vo. 3. ‘A Manual of the Bowels and the Treatment of their principal Disorder of London, 18l0, 12mo. 4. ‘Retrospective Address in Medicine,’ 1812. 5. ‘Observations and Instructions on Cold and Warm Bathing,’ Manchester, 1846, 8vo. Dr. Black published several papers on geological subjects, and communicated to the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester ‘Some Remarks on the Seteïa and Belisama of Ptolemy, and on the Roman Garrison of Mancunium (2nd edition, Edinburgh, 1856, 8vo). In 1837 he published a paper of 100 pages in the ‘Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association,' entitled ‘A Medico-Topographical, Geological, and Statistical Sketch of Bolton and its Neighbourhood.’ On the establishment of a free library in Bolton, Dr. Black was chosen as a member of the committee, and he published ‘A few Words in aid of Literature and Science, on the occasion of opening the Public Library, Bolton,’ 1853.
[Munk's Roll of the Royal College of Physicians, 1873, iii. 277; Brit. Med. Journal, 25 May 1867, p. 623; Whittle's Bolton-le-Moors, p. 372; Royal Society’s Cat. of Scientific Papers, 1867, i. 401; Proceedings of the Geological Society, 1868, p. xxxviii]