James Young Simpson

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For other persons named James Simpson, see James Simpson (disambiguation).
James Young Simpson

James Young Simpson
Born June 7, 1811
Bathgate, West Lothian
Died May 6, 1870 (aged 58)
Edinburgh
Occupation Doctor

Sir James Young Simpson, (June 7, 1811 born in Bathgate, West Lothian, died at his home in Edinburgh, May 6, 1870), was a Scottish doctor and important figure in the history of medicine.

James was the youngest of seven children, 5 brothers; Thomas, John, Alexander, David, George and a sister Mary born to Mary Jarvey (also known as Jarvie) and David Simpson a baker in Bathgate. He received his initial education at the local school however because of his obvious abilities, his father and brothers (his mother died when he was 9) together paid for a College education and he entered the University of Edinburgh when he was 14 years old. He became a Licentiate in 1830 before graduating in 1832. He was appointed Professor of Midwifery (which we would now call Obstetrics) at the University of Edinburgh and physician to Queen Victoria.

Simpson's name at birth was "James Simpson", as recorded at his baptism on 30th June. It is unknown why he formally adopted the middle name "Young". One theory is that, as a very young professor, he was flaunting his youth in front of his older peers or alternatively that he was known by the affectionate nickname of "Young Simpson" and decided to incorporate it into his name.

Simpson discovered the anaesthetic properties of chloroform and— against medical and religious opposition— successfully introduced it for general medical use.

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[edit] Career

James Young Simpson
James Young Simpson

Simpson completed his final medical examination at the age of 18 but, as he was so young, had to wait two years before he got his licence to practise medicine. It was during this period that he became a Freemason, being initiated in a Lodge in his home town of Bathgate.

He developed an interest in obstetrics, and at the age of 28 was appointed Chair of Midwifery at the University of Edinburgh. He improved the design of obstetric forceps and, like Semmelweis, he fought against the contagion of puerperal sepsis.

His most noted contribution was the introduction of anesthesia to childbirth.

A free thinker by most accounts, his intellectual interests ranged from archeology to an almost taboo subject at the time: hermaphroditism. He was a very early advocate of the use of midwives in the hospital environment. Many prominent women also consulted him for their gynaecological problems.

It was his achievements and wide ranging interests that led to his town house at 52 Queen Street, Edinburgh being a gathering point for many members of society; especially intellectual free thinkers. His impish sense of humour got the better of him on at least one of these occasions when he sat a Southern U.S. slave owner next to a freed slave at the dinner table. Since this town house was fairly busy at times he preferred to keep his wife and children at their country house near Bathgate.


[edit] Obstetric anesthesia

The statue of Sir James Young Simpson, Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh
The statue of Sir James Young Simpson, Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh

Sir Humphrey Davey used the first anesthetic in 1799, Laughing Gas (Nitrous Oxide). J.R. Lister's Ether was dismissed as an anesthetic as it irritated the lungs of the patients. For many years surgeons searched for an anesthetic and in 1847 they got one.

In 1847 James Young Simpson first discovered the properties of Chloroform during an experiment with friends in which he learnt that it could be used to put one to sleep. It was very much up to chance that Simpson survived the chloroform dosage he administered to himself. If Simpson had inhaled too much, subsequently passing away from an overdose, the world would have seen this as a dangerous substance. Whereas, if Simpson had inhaled slightly less it would not have put him to sleep. It was his willingness to explore the possibilities of the substance that established his career as a pioneer in the field of medicine.

Simpson first used his anesthetic to help ease the pain during childbirth. Many opposed this practice, as it was viewed as an act against nature or the will of God. Vindication of his efforts came when Queen Victoria used chloroform during the delivery of Prince Leopold in 1853. The anesthetist was John Snow.

[edit] Victo Dolore

Full recognition was swift to follow. He was the first man to be knighted by the Scottish Court of the Lord Lyon for services to medicine. He died at the age of fifty-eight. "Victo Dolore" (pain conquered) is the inscription of his coat of arms.

A spot for his burial in Westminster Abbey was offered to his family, but they declined and instead buried him closer to home in Warriston Cemetery, Edinburgh. Instead a memorial bust can be found in a niche at Westminster.

On the day of his funeral a Scottish holiday was declared, including the banks and stock markets, with over 100,000 citizens lining the funeral cortege on its way to the cemetery, while over 1,700 colleagues and business leaders took part in the procession itself.

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