John Clerk (physician)

John Clerk (1689-1757) was a Scottish physician and grandson of the first Clerk of Penicuik. He was the cousin of Adam Smith. Clerk studied at Leiden under Herman Boerhaave. In Scotland, Clerk was noticed by Archibald Pitcairne and from whom he was given private instruction enabling him to graduate MD at St Andrews in 1711 without taking final examinations.[1]

Clerk was mainly responsible for the second edition of the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia in 1722 and was described by Dr William Cullen as one who chiefly introduced judgement, accuracy and elegance into private prescriptions in this country. Clerk was also a co-founder of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.[2] From 1729, Clerk played an important role in the medical teaching at the University of Edinburgh.

He commenced practice in Edinburgh about the time Pitcairne was reaching the age of retirement. The recommendation of a young physician, whom he had trained, proved most acceptable to Pitcairne's friends and patients. Clerk fully justified the confidence placed in him by his instructor and came to be recognised as the most distinguished physician in Scotland.

In 1714 John Clerk became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and took a prominent part in College affairs, as a member of Council, Censor, Vice-President and President from 1740 to 1744. He took an active interest in the planning, the building and management of the Royal Infirmary and was a liberal contributor. Lord Provost George Drummond publicly acknowledged the help he had received from Clerk.

References

  1. ↑ Ross, Ian Simpson (2010-09-23). The Life of Adam Smith. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199550036.
  2. ↑ An Account of the Rise and Establishment of the Infirmary, or Hospital for sick-poor, erected at Edinburgh. 1730. p. 15.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.