Anthony Carlisle
Encyclopedia
Sir Anthony Carlisle FRCS, FRS (Stillington
, England 15 February 1768 - London, 2 November 1840) was an English surgeon
.
He was born in Stillington, County Durham, the third son of Thomas Carlisle and his first wife, and the half-brother of Nicholas Carlisle, FRS. He was apprenticed to medical practitioners in York and Durham, including his uncle Anthony Hubback and William Green. He later studied in London under John Hunter
. In 1793 he was appointed Surgeon at Westminster Hospital
in 1793, remaining there for 47 years. He also studied art at the Royal Academy
In 1800 he and William Nicholson
discovered electrolysis
by passing a voltaic
current through water, decomposing it into its constituent elements of hydrogen and oxygen.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1804. He was Professor of Anatomy of the Society from 1808 to 1824.
In 1815 he was appointed to the Council of the College of Surgeons and for many years was a curator of their Hunterian Museum. He served as president of the society, by then the Royal College of Surgeons, in 1828 and 1839. He twice delivered their Hunterian oration, causing consternation at his second oration in 1826 by using the occasion to talk about oysters, earning the epithet of Sir Anthony Oyster. He also delivered their Croonian Lecture
in 1804, 1805 and 1807.
He was Surgeon Extraordinary (1820–1830) to King George IV, by whom he was knighted on 24 Jul 1821.
It is likely that he was the author of The Horrors of Oakendale Abbey
, a gothic novel published anonymously in 1797 attributed to a ‘Mrs Carver’.
He had married Martha Symmons, daughter of John Symmons, in Alcester, Warwickshire on 23 August 1800. On his death in 1840 he was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery
.
Stillington, County Durham
Stillington is a village within the borough of Stockton-on-Tees and the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is situated to the north west of Stockton-on-Tees....
, England 15 February 1768 - London, 2 November 1840) was an English surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
.
He was born in Stillington, County Durham, the third son of Thomas Carlisle and his first wife, and the half-brother of Nicholas Carlisle, FRS. He was apprenticed to medical practitioners in York and Durham, including his uncle Anthony Hubback and William Green. He later studied in London under John Hunter
John Hunter (surgeon)
John Hunter FRS was a Scottish surgeon regarded as one of the most distinguished scientists and surgeons of his day. He was an early advocate of careful observation and scientific method in medicine. The Hunterian Society of London was named in his honour...
. In 1793 he was appointed Surgeon at Westminster Hospital
Westminster Hospital
Westminster Hospital was a hospital in London, England, founded in 1719. In 1834 a medical school attached to the hospital was formally founded....
in 1793, remaining there for 47 years. He also studied art at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
In 1800 he and William Nicholson
William Nicholson (chemist)
William Nicholson was a renowned English chemist and writer on "natural philosophy" and chemistry, as well as a translator, journalist, publisher, scientist, and inventor.-Early life:...
discovered electrolysis
Electrolysis
In chemistry and manufacturing, electrolysis is a method of using a direct electric current to drive an otherwise non-spontaneous chemical reaction...
by passing a voltaic
Voltaic pile
A voltaic pile is a set of individual Galvanic cells placed in series. The voltaic pile, invented by Alessandro Volta in 1800, was the first electric battery...
current through water, decomposing it into its constituent elements of hydrogen and oxygen.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1804. He was Professor of Anatomy of the Society from 1808 to 1824.
In 1815 he was appointed to the Council of the College of Surgeons and for many years was a curator of their Hunterian Museum. He served as president of the society, by then the Royal College of Surgeons, in 1828 and 1839. He twice delivered their Hunterian oration, causing consternation at his second oration in 1826 by using the occasion to talk about oysters, earning the epithet of Sir Anthony Oyster. He also delivered their Croonian Lecture
Croonian Lecture
The Croonian Lectures are prestigious lectureships given at the invitation of the Royal Society and the Royal College of Physicians.Among the papers of William Croone at his death in 1684, was a plan to endow one lectureship at both the Royal Society and the Royal College of Physicians...
in 1804, 1805 and 1807.
He was Surgeon Extraordinary (1820–1830) to King George IV, by whom he was knighted on 24 Jul 1821.
It is likely that he was the author of The Horrors of Oakendale Abbey
The Horrors of Oakendale Abbey
The Horrors of Oakendale Abbey is a gothic novel by Mrs Carver, written in 1797 and published, in one volume, by the sensationalist Minerva Press. It proved particularly popular with the new travelling libraries of the day. A gothic tale of horror, rather than suspense, it centres on the physical...
, a gothic novel published anonymously in 1797 attributed to a ‘Mrs Carver’.
He had married Martha Symmons, daughter of John Symmons, in Alcester, Warwickshire on 23 August 1800. On his death in 1840 he was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in Kensal Green, in the west of London, England. It was immortalised in the lines of G. K. Chesterton's poem The Rolling English Road from his book The Flying Inn: "For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen; Before we go to Paradise by way of...
.