Arthur Mitchell (physician)
Encyclopedia
Sir Arthur Mitchell K.C.B.
, M.D.
(1826 – 12 October 1909) was a Scottish doctor involved in the study and care of patients with mental illness
. He served on several public commissions, and also wrote a number of works on historical subjects.
, Moray, and gained a degree in medicine at the University of Aberdeen
.
His work included a special study of individuals in private care, which were outlined in his work The Insane in Private Dwellings. His contributions to the Edinburgh Medical Journal, reprinted in a condensed form in Memoirs of the Anthropological Society of London, contained material collected from extensive surveys. His work established a methodology for epidemiological studies in this field.
, the Scottish Meteorological Society
, the Early Scottish Text Society, and council member of the Scottish History Society
. He was a professor of ancient history and member of the Royal Scottish Academy
. His Rhind Lectures
to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland were published as The Past in the Present: What is Civilisation. His conclusion was that the difference in the essential characteristics of modern and early peoples are imperceptible, that civilisation was due to accumulated knowledge rather than an inherent superiority of its individual members. Other works included A List of Travels in Scotland 1296—1900, and Dreaming, Laughing, and Blushing (1905).
In 1886 Mitchell was made a Companion of the Bath
by Queen Victoria, and was raised to the rank of Knight Commander of the Bath the following year. He retired in 1895, and died on October 12, 1909. He was buried at Rosebank Cemetery
, Edinburgh.
He married Margaret Hay Houston, daughter of James Houston of Tullochgriban in Strathspey
. Their only child was the architect Sydney Mitchell
(1856–1930).
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
(1826 – 12 October 1909) was a Scottish doctor involved in the study and care of patients with mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
. He served on several public commissions, and also wrote a number of works on historical subjects.
Biography
Mitchell was born in ElginElgin, Moray
Elgin is a former cathedral city and Royal Burgh in Moray, Scotland. It is the administrative and commercial centre for Moray. The town originated to the south of the River Lossie on the higher ground above the flood plain. Elgin is first documented in the Cartulary of Moray in 1190...
, Moray, and gained a degree in medicine at the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
.
Medicine
In 1857 Mitchell was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Lunacy with the newly-established General Board of Lunacy for Scotland. His appointment coincided with a report produced by the Scottish Royal Lunacy Commission that prompted a greater understanding and care of the insane. In 1870 he was appointed to the commission, and also served on the Commission on Criminal Lunacy in England, and later chaired a commission which investigated lunacy care in Ireland.His work included a special study of individuals in private care, which were outlined in his work The Insane in Private Dwellings. His contributions to the Edinburgh Medical Journal, reprinted in a condensed form in Memoirs of the Anthropological Society of London, contained material collected from extensive surveys. His work established a methodology for epidemiological studies in this field.
Historian
He held positions with the Society of Antiquaries of ScotlandSociety of Antiquaries of Scotland
The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is the senior antiquarian body in Scotland, with its headquarters in the National Museum, Chambers Street, Edinburgh...
, the Scottish Meteorological Society
Scottish Meteorological Society
The Scottish Meteorological Society was founded in 1855 with private funding, particularly from wealthy landowners who wished to compile meteorological records in order to improve agriculture....
, the Early Scottish Text Society, and council member of the Scottish History Society
Scottish History Society
The Scottish History Society, also referred to as the Scottish Historical Society, was founded in 1886, as part of the late 19th-century revival in interest in Scottish national identity...
. He was a professor of ancient history and member of the Royal Scottish Academy
Royal Scottish Academy
The Royal Scottish Academy is a Scottish organisation that promotes contemporary Scottish art. Founded in 1826, as the Royal Institution for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts, the RSA maintains a unique position in Scotland as an independently funded institution led by eminent artists and...
. His Rhind Lectures
Rhind Lectures
Rhind Lectures are a series of lectures on topics of archaeology, delivered over the course of a weekend by a chosen expert. They have been hosted by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland since 1874...
to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland were published as The Past in the Present: What is Civilisation. His conclusion was that the difference in the essential characteristics of modern and early peoples are imperceptible, that civilisation was due to accumulated knowledge rather than an inherent superiority of its individual members. Other works included A List of Travels in Scotland 1296—1900, and Dreaming, Laughing, and Blushing (1905).
In 1886 Mitchell was made a Companion of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
by Queen Victoria, and was raised to the rank of Knight Commander of the Bath the following year. He retired in 1895, and died on October 12, 1909. He was buried at Rosebank Cemetery
Rosebank Cemetery
Rosebank Cemetery is a 19th-century burial ground in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at the junction of Pilrig Street and Broughton Road in the Pilrig area, close to the historical boundary of Leith...
, Edinburgh.
He married Margaret Hay Houston, daughter of James Houston of Tullochgriban in Strathspey
Strathspey
Strathspey may refer to one of the following:* Strathspey, Scotland, an area in the Highlands of Scotland;* Strathspey ....
. Their only child was the architect Sydney Mitchell
Sydney Mitchell
Arthur George Sydney Mitchell was a Scottish architect. He designed a large number of bank branches, country houses, churches and church halls...
(1856–1930).