Sir Philip Crampton
Encyclopedia
Sir Philip Crampton, 1st Baronet, FRS
(7 June 1777 – 10 June 1858) was an eminent Irish
surgeon and anatomist.
, the son of a dentist. He was a childhood friend of Theobald Wolfe Tone
, the United Irishman, and a cousin, on his mother's side, of Thomas Verner, Grand Master of the Orange Order. He joined the army when young and became an assistant surgeon. When he was appointed surgeon to the Meath Hospital
in 1798 he was not yet fully qualified, and went on to graduate in Glasgow in 1800. A few years later he also became assistant surgeon at the Lock Hospital, Dublin
and also built up a large private practice at his house in Dawson St. He joined Peter Harkan in teaching anatomy in private lectures, forming the first private school of anatomy and surgery in the city.
He became a Fellow of the Royal Society (F.R.S.) in Ireland for a treatise on the construction of eyes of birds, written in 1813. This was later published, with other writings, in the Dublin Journal of Medical Science
.
In 1821, together with Sir Henry Marsh and Dr. Charles Johnston, he founded a children's hospital in Pitt St. (now Balfe St.): the Pitt St. Institution. This hospital was the first teaching children's hospital in Ireland or Great Britain. The main objective of the hospital was to treat sick children in one of the poorest parts of Dublin, The Liberties
.
He resigned the chief-surgeoncy of the Lock Hospital when he was appointed surgeon-general to the forces in Ireland. He remained as consulting surgeon to Dr Steevens' Hospital
and the Dublin Lying-in Hospital
. He was three times president of the Dublin College of Surgeons. He was knighted in 1839.
He was always interested in zoological science and played an active part in founding the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland and was many times its president. He was also a member of the Royal Irish Academy
.
He died at his residence, 14 Merrion Square, in Dublin.
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
(7 June 1777 – 10 June 1858) was an eminent Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
surgeon and anatomist.
Life
Crampton was born in Dublin, IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the son of a dentist. He was a childhood friend of Theobald Wolfe Tone
Theobald Wolfe Tone
Theobald Wolfe Tone or Wolfe Tone , was a leading Irish revolutionary figure and one of the founding members of the United Irishmen and is regarded as the father of Irish Republicanism. He was captured by British forces at Lough Swilly in Donegal and taken prisoner...
, the United Irishman, and a cousin, on his mother's side, of Thomas Verner, Grand Master of the Orange Order. He joined the army when young and became an assistant surgeon. When he was appointed surgeon to the Meath Hospital
Meath Hospital
The Meath Hospital in Dublin, Ireland was founded in 1753. Situated in the Earl of Meath's Liberty, the hospital was opened to serve the sick and poor in the crowded area of the Liberties in Dublin....
in 1798 he was not yet fully qualified, and went on to graduate in Glasgow in 1800. A few years later he also became assistant surgeon at the Lock Hospital, Dublin
Lock Hospital, Dublin
The Westmoreland Lock Hospital was a hospital for venereal disease originally located at Donnybrook and later moved to Lazar's Hill , Dublin, Ireland.-History:...
and also built up a large private practice at his house in Dawson St. He joined Peter Harkan in teaching anatomy in private lectures, forming the first private school of anatomy and surgery in the city.
He became a Fellow of the Royal Society (F.R.S.) in Ireland for a treatise on the construction of eyes of birds, written in 1813. This was later published, with other writings, in the Dublin Journal of Medical Science
Dublin Journal of Medical Science
The Irish Journal of Medical Science is a peer-reviewed medical journal that was established in 1832 by Robert Kane as the Dublin Journal of Medical & Chemical Science. Besides Kane, it had distinguished editors like Robert James Graves and William Wilde...
.
In 1821, together with Sir Henry Marsh and Dr. Charles Johnston, he founded a children's hospital in Pitt St. (now Balfe St.): the Pitt St. Institution. This hospital was the first teaching children's hospital in Ireland or Great Britain. The main objective of the hospital was to treat sick children in one of the poorest parts of Dublin, The Liberties
The Liberties
The Liberties of Dublin, Ireland were jurisdictions that existed since the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in the 12th century. They were town lands united to the city, but still preserving their own jurisdiction. The most important of these liberties were the Liberty of St...
.
He resigned the chief-surgeoncy of the Lock Hospital when he was appointed surgeon-general to the forces in Ireland. He remained as consulting surgeon to Dr Steevens' Hospital
Dr Steevens' Hospital
Dr Steevens' Hospital in Dublin was one of Ireland's most distinguished eighteenth-century medical establishments...
and the Dublin Lying-in Hospital
Rotunda Hospital
The Rotunda Hospital is one of the three main maternity hospitals in the city of Dublin, the others being the The Coombe and The National Maternity Hospital...
. He was three times president of the Dublin College of Surgeons. He was knighted in 1839.
He was always interested in zoological science and played an active part in founding the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland and was many times its president. He was also a member of the Royal Irish Academy
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
.
He died at his residence, 14 Merrion Square, in Dublin.
The Crampton Memorial
The Crampton Memorial, at the junction of College St. with Pearse St. and D'Olier St., was erected from the design of John Kirk the sculptor in 1862. It was of a curious design, consisting of a bust above a fountain and surmounted by a cascade of metal foliage. This monument was locally known in the 19th century as the " water-babe", and later as the "cauliflower", "pineapple" or "artichoke". As it was slowly falling apart, it was removed in 1959.External links
- A history of the Crampton Memorial (with photographs)
- The Late Sir Philip Crampton Br Med J. 1858 June 26; 1(78): 521–522. PMCID: PMC2251290 - biography at the website of National Center for Biotechnology InformationNational Center for Biotechnology InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information is part of the United States National Library of Medicine , a branch of the National Institutes of Health. The NCBI is located in Bethesda, Maryland and was founded in 1988 through legislation sponsored by Senator Claude Pepper...