John Burns (surgeon)
Encyclopedia
John Burns FRS, was a Scottish surgeon.
He was the eldest son of Rev. John Burns
, who was the minister of the Barony Church until his death.
Burns became a visiting surgeon at Glasgow Royal Infirmary
and the proprietor of the College Street medical school. He was suspected in robbing graves to provide cadavres for dissecting studies. In 1799, he became Professor of Anatomy and Theory at Anderson's University, where he published several text books for students and became an international authority on abortion and midwifery.
In 1815 he was appointed the first Regius Professor of Surgery
at the University of Glasgow
. He wrote several medical textbooks such as Principles of Midwifery (1809), as well as two religious tracts.
Burns, the brother of two senior figures in the MacBrayne's and Cunard shipping
businesses, was among fifty people who died when the G & J Burns paddle steamship Orion sank off Portpatrick
in June 1850 on its way from Liverpool to Glasgow.
He married Isabella, daughter of Rev. John Duncan of Alva
and had two children. Their first child, John (born 1806) was a member of the 78th Highlanders and later Lieutenant-Colonel of the 2nd Royals and died in service at the Cape in 1853, unmarried. Their second son, Allan (born 1819), was a physician and died in 1843 by typhoid fever
which he caught from a patient.
He was the eldest son of Rev. John Burns
John Burns (minister)
Rev. Dr. John Burns D.D. was born in Stirling, the son of John Burns of Stirth and Janet Young of Risk.He was a minister in the Church of Scotland, and he served a Glasgow cure longer than any minister on record, having been in the Barony for sixty-nine years. Four of these years he was assistant...
, who was the minister of the Barony Church until his death.
Burns became a visiting surgeon at Glasgow Royal Infirmary
Glasgow Royal Infirmary
The Glasgow Royal Infirmary is a large teaching hospital, operated by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde,. With a capacity of around 1000 beds, the hospital campus covers an area of around 20 acres, situated on the north-eastern edge of the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland.-History:Designed by Robert...
and the proprietor of the College Street medical school. He was suspected in robbing graves to provide cadavres for dissecting studies. In 1799, he became Professor of Anatomy and Theory at Anderson's University, where he published several text books for students and became an international authority on abortion and midwifery.
In 1815 he was appointed the first Regius Professor of Surgery
Regius Professor of Surgery, Glasgow
The Regius Chair of Surgery at the University of Glasgow was founded in 1815 by King George III, who also established the Chairs of Chemistry and Natural History....
at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
. He wrote several medical textbooks such as Principles of Midwifery (1809), as well as two religious tracts.
Burns, the brother of two senior figures in the MacBrayne's and Cunard shipping
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
businesses, was among fifty people who died when the G & J Burns paddle steamship Orion sank off Portpatrick
Portpatrick
Portpatrick is a village hanging on to the extreme south-westerly tip of mainland Scotland, cut into a cleft in steep cliffs.Dating back historically some 500 years, and built adjacent to the ruins of nearby Dunskey Castle, its position on the Rhins of Galloway affords visitors views of the...
in June 1850 on its way from Liverpool to Glasgow.
He married Isabella, daughter of Rev. John Duncan of Alva
Alva, Clackmannanshire
Alva is a small town in Clackmannanshire, set in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It is one of a number of towns situated immediately to the south of the Ochil Hills, collectively referred to as the Hillfoots Villages or simply The Hillfoots...
and had two children. Their first child, John (born 1806) was a member of the 78th Highlanders and later Lieutenant-Colonel of the 2nd Royals and died in service at the Cape in 1853, unmarried. Their second son, Allan (born 1819), was a physician and died in 1843 by typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
which he caught from a patient.