Campbell De Morgan
Encyclopedia
Campbell Greig De Morgan (22 November 1811 – 12 April 1876) was a British surgeon who first speculated that cancer
arose locally and then spread, first to the lymph nodes and then more widely in the body. His name is used to describe the non cancerous Campbell de Morgan spot; bright red spots that may appear on the skin in later life and which he was the first to note in medical literature.
near Bideford
, Devon
, England in 1811 into a family with a long association with the British East India Company
, originally of Huguenot
stock.
He trained at University College Hospital
, London and went on to be a house surgeon at the Middlesex Hospital
where he remained for the rest of his career. He was actively involved in the Middlesex Hospital Medical School from its foundation in 1835 and was a close associate of its founder, Sir Charles Bell
.
In 1841 he became a lecturer in forensic medicine and in 1845 professor of anatomy
. In 1853, on the basis of a paper on the structure and development of bone, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.
He also pursued an interest in the arts. He was a talented musician who studied the science of music, and was a gifted caricaturist.
His death in 1876 was caused by his sitting up throughout the night of 6 April at the bedside of his close friend, the artist John Graham Lough
. Lough was critically ill with pneumonia
and died the following morning. De Morgan himself then developed pneumonia and pleurisy
from which he himself died on 12 April.
He was married to Kate Hudson and they had two sons Walter and John.
A bust of Campbell De Morgan by John Graham Lough is located at the Middlesex Hospital, London.
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
arose locally and then spread, first to the lymph nodes and then more widely in the body. His name is used to describe the non cancerous Campbell de Morgan spot; bright red spots that may appear on the skin in later life and which he was the first to note in medical literature.
Life
He was born at ClovellyClovelly
Clovelly is a village in the Torridge district of Devon, England. It is a major tourist attraction, famous for its history and beauty, its extremely steep car-free cobbled main street, donkeys, and its location looking out over the Bristol Channel. Thick woods shelter it and render the climate so...
near Bideford
Bideford
Bideford is a small port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is also the main town of the Torridge local government district.-History:...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England in 1811 into a family with a long association with the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, originally of Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
stock.
He trained at University College Hospital
University College Hospital
University College Hospital is a teaching hospital located in London, United Kingdom. It is part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is closely associated with University College London ....
, London and went on to be a house surgeon at the Middlesex Hospital
Middlesex Hospital
The Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, United Kingdom. First opened in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally closed in 2005. Its staff and services were transferred to various sites...
where he remained for the rest of his career. He was actively involved in the Middlesex Hospital Medical School from its foundation in 1835 and was a close associate of its founder, Sir Charles Bell
Charles Bell
Sir Charles Bell was a Scottish surgeon, anatomist, neurologist and philosophical theologian.His three older brothers included John Bell , also a noted surgeon and writer; and the advocate George Joseph Bell .-Life:...
.
In 1841 he became a lecturer in forensic medicine and in 1845 professor of anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
. In 1853, on the basis of a paper on the structure and development of bone, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.
He also pursued an interest in the arts. He was a talented musician who studied the science of music, and was a gifted caricaturist.
His death in 1876 was caused by his sitting up throughout the night of 6 April at the bedside of his close friend, the artist John Graham Lough
John Graham Lough
John Graham Lough was an English sculptor known for his funerary monuments and a variety of portrait sculpture. He also produced ideal classical male and female figures.-Life:...
. Lough was critically ill with pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and died the following morning. De Morgan himself then developed pneumonia and pleurisy
Pleurisy
Pleurisy is an inflammation of the pleura, the lining of the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs. Among other things, infections are the most common cause of pleurisy....
from which he himself died on 12 April.
He was married to Kate Hudson and they had two sons Walter and John.
A bust of Campbell De Morgan by John Graham Lough is located at the Middlesex Hospital, London.
External links
- Photo of the bust of Campbell de Morgan at the Middlesex Hospital, London.