An account of the life, lectures and writings of William Cullen. Vol.1 / by John Thomson.

  • Thomson, John, 1765-1846.
Date:
1832
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An account of the life, lectures and writings of William Cullen. Vol.1 / by John Thomson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    688/690 (page 672)
    The eminent person I am to speak of, Dr John Clerk, was born on the lltli day of September 1689. He was descended of a family which, by great honour and worth, had been for some time distinguished among the gentry of this kingdom. By a father wdio belonged to the medical profession, and was eminent in his part of it, Mr Clerk was early destined to physic. He was first properly imbued with all the literature that is necessary to qualify for the study, or may adorn the practice of the art. He was afterwards led through every part of the study of physic ; be was led through every branch of the profession ; he began as an Apothecary, and thereby, with regard to many particulars, he acquired an accurate knowledge that is sometimes neglected by the student, but the want of which is always deeply regretted by the practitioner. Our student had indeed, throughout, a singular education: he was little in colleges (public schools) of Physic, but he was constantly among diseases and medicines. The University of Edinburgh was not then so happy as to enjoy those Colleges of Physic which have since furnished so many physicians to Britain and her wide extended colonies. The genius of Clerk wras at that time in danger of missing its proper cultivation ; but he w'as singularly happy in receiving a very ample compensation for the want of public colleges. Dr Pit¬ cairn *, whose fame in physic does so much honour to this king¬ dom, after he had adorned one of the most famous Seminaries of Medicine in Europe as a Professor, had then returned to bless his native country with his skill as a practitioner. This con¬ summate judge soon discerned the rising genius of Clerk. Dr Pitcairn was pleased to find in him that taste for classical studies, by which he himself was so much distinguished : he was happy to discern in Clerk an acuteness in those sciences which he w as then endeavouring, not without difficulty and op¬ position, to introduce into this country. He was particularly pleased in discovering in that young man, the symptoms of that * Dr Archibald Pitcairn, who was born at Edinburgh in 1G52, was ap¬ pointed Professor of Physic in the University of Leyden in 1692 ; but re¬ turned to Scotland in 1693, and died in 1713.