Sir William Cheyne, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir William Watson Cheyne, 1st Baronet KCMG
CB
FRCS
FRS
(14 December 1852 – 19 April 1932) was a British surgeon and bacteriologist, who pioneered the use of antiseptical surgical methods in the United Kingdom, as well as abdominal surgery.
Cheyne was born at sea off Hobart, Tasmania. He came from a humble background. His father, Andrew Cheyne, was a captain in the mercantile marine from Ollaberry
, Shetland. His mother Eliza, the daughter of the Rev. William Watson, died in 1856, leaving Willam Cheyne to be brought up by his grandfather, the Rev. William Watson, and latterly by his aunt and uncle-in-law, in Fetlar
. In 1864 he was sent to attend Aberdeen Grammar School
until 1868, when he went to King's College, Aberdeen
, studying Greek, Latin, English, and Mathematics. By 1870 his uncle and aunt had desired him to be trained for the church, but as his father, his own inclination was for the sea. With the idea that if he became a doctor he could join the navy, he entered the University of Edinburgh where to study medicine in May 1871. He received degrees in surgery and medicine from there in 1875.
Cheyne became the house surgeon to Joseph Lister
, the British founder of antiseptic medicine, in 1876. Bacteriology had been much researched in France and Germany in the 1870s and 80s, but little work was done in the field in Britain. Lister was one of the few pioneers of its study in Britain. In 1877, the two took positions at King's College Hospital, where Cheyne served as an assistant surgeon, and later as surgeon from 1880 to 1917 and also as a professor of surgery from 1891 to 1917. He was a devoted follower of Lister and his antiseptic surgical methods. Cheyne was greatly inspired by the work of German bacteriologist Robert Koch
, and had his work Untersuchungen über die Aetiologie der Wundinfenktionskrankheiten (1878) translated for the New Sydenham Society in 1880, which greatly enhanced the acceptance of bacteriology in Britain. He had a work published in 1882, Antiseptic Surgery: Its Principles, Practice, History and Results, and later in 1885 a book, Lister and His Achievements. The work he did in his early career on bacteria and preventative medicine was highly influenced by Koch, and in Spring 1886, Cheyne visited Koch's laboratory in Berlin and studied his methods. He undertook many trials on giving doses of tuberculin
. He reported his findings to the RMCS in April 1891. He found that giving repeated doses improves the conditions of patients, but rarely acts as a cure. His paper was recognized as the first important contribution to the topic in Britain. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1894.
Cheyne served as a consulting surgeon for the British military in South Africa from 1900 to 1901. In 1910 he was made the Honorary Surgeon-in-Ordinary to King George V. With the outbreak of world War I he became a consulting surgeon to the Royal Navy in 1914, and in 1915 was for a short time the temporary surgeon general, RN. He was later made Surgeon Rear-Admiral and KCMG. From 1914 to 1916, he served as President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
, and in 1924 he was awarded the inaugural Lister Medal for his contributions to surgical science. The following year, he delivered the first Lister Memorial Lecture.
He was made a baronet in 1908, and having retired from active practice, he was elected in 1917 as a Unionist Member of Parliament
(MP) for Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities
and for the Combined Scottish Universities in 1918
, holding the seat until he stepped down at the 1922 general election
. He was appointed as Lord Lieutenant of Orkney and Shetland
in 1919. Cheyne left London for good in 1922 and retired to Fetlar and resigned his position as lord lieutenant in 1930. He died in 1932 at Fetlar after a prolonged illness.
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Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
CB
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...
FRCS
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons is a professional qualification to practise as a surgeon in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland...
FRS
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"...
(14 December 1852 – 19 April 1932) was a British surgeon and bacteriologist, who pioneered the use of antiseptical surgical methods in the United Kingdom, as well as abdominal surgery.
Cheyne was born at sea off Hobart, Tasmania. He came from a humble background. His father, Andrew Cheyne, was a captain in the mercantile marine from Ollaberry
Ollaberry
Ollaberry is a settlement on Mainland, Shetland on the west shore of Yell Sound. The land round here is fertile by Shetland standards....
, Shetland. His mother Eliza, the daughter of the Rev. William Watson, died in 1856, leaving Willam Cheyne to be brought up by his grandfather, the Rev. William Watson, and latterly by his aunt and uncle-in-law, in Fetlar
Fetlar
Fetlar is one of the North Isles of Shetland, Scotland, with a population of 86 at the time of the 2001 census. Its main settlement is Houbie on the south coast, home to the Fetlar Interpretive Centre...
. In 1864 he was sent to attend Aberdeen Grammar School
Aberdeen Grammar School
Aberdeen Grammar School, known to students as The Grammar is a state secondary school in the City of Aberdeen, Scotland. It is one of twelve secondary schools run by the Aberdeen City Council educational department...
until 1868, when he went to King's College, Aberdeen
King's College, Aberdeen
King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and an integral part of the University of Aberdeen...
, studying Greek, Latin, English, and Mathematics. By 1870 his uncle and aunt had desired him to be trained for the church, but as his father, his own inclination was for the sea. With the idea that if he became a doctor he could join the navy, he entered the University of Edinburgh where to study medicine in May 1871. He received degrees in surgery and medicine from there in 1875.
Cheyne became the house surgeon to Joseph Lister
Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister
Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister OM, FRS, PC , known as Sir Joseph Lister, Bt., between 1883 and 1897, was a British surgeon and a pioneer of antiseptic surgery, who promoted the idea of sterile surgery while working at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary...
, the British founder of antiseptic medicine, in 1876. Bacteriology had been much researched in France and Germany in the 1870s and 80s, but little work was done in the field in Britain. Lister was one of the few pioneers of its study in Britain. In 1877, the two took positions at King's College Hospital, where Cheyne served as an assistant surgeon, and later as surgeon from 1880 to 1917 and also as a professor of surgery from 1891 to 1917. He was a devoted follower of Lister and his antiseptic surgical methods. Cheyne was greatly inspired by the work of German bacteriologist Robert Koch
Robert Koch
Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch was a German physician. He became famous for isolating Bacillus anthracis , the Tuberculosis bacillus and the Vibrio cholerae and for his development of Koch's postulates....
, and had his work Untersuchungen über die Aetiologie der Wundinfenktionskrankheiten (1878) translated for the New Sydenham Society in 1880, which greatly enhanced the acceptance of bacteriology in Britain. He had a work published in 1882, Antiseptic Surgery: Its Principles, Practice, History and Results, and later in 1885 a book, Lister and His Achievements. The work he did in his early career on bacteria and preventative medicine was highly influenced by Koch, and in Spring 1886, Cheyne visited Koch's laboratory in Berlin and studied his methods. He undertook many trials on giving doses of tuberculin
Tuberculin
Tuberculin is the name given to extracts of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. bovis, or M. avium that is used in skin testing in animals and humans to identify a tuberculosis infection. Several types of tuberculin have been used for this, of which purified protein derivative is the most important....
. He reported his findings to the RMCS in April 1891. He found that giving repeated doses improves the conditions of patients, but rarely acts as a cure. His paper was recognized as the first important contribution to the topic in Britain. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1894.
Cheyne served as a consulting surgeon for the British military in South Africa from 1900 to 1901. In 1910 he was made the Honorary Surgeon-in-Ordinary to King George V. With the outbreak of world War I he became a consulting surgeon to the Royal Navy in 1914, and in 1915 was for a short time the temporary surgeon general, RN. He was later made Surgeon Rear-Admiral and KCMG. From 1914 to 1916, he served as President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
, and in 1924 he was awarded the inaugural Lister Medal for his contributions to surgical science. The following year, he delivered the first Lister Memorial Lecture.
He was made a baronet in 1908, and having retired from active practice, he was elected in 1917 as a Unionist Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities
Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities (UK Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities was a university constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until 1918. It was merged with the Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities constituency to form the Combined Scottish Universities...
and for the Combined Scottish Universities in 1918
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
, holding the seat until he stepped down at the 1922 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
. He was appointed as Lord Lieutenant of Orkney and Shetland
Lord Lieutenant of Orkney and Shetland
This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Orkney and Shetland. The Lieutenancy was replaced by two Lieutenancies, the Lord Lieutenant of Orkney and the Lord Lieutenant of Shetland, in 1948.* James Douglas, 11th Earl of Morton 1715 – ?*...
in 1919. Cheyne left London for good in 1922 and retired to Fetlar and resigned his position as lord lieutenant in 1930. He died in 1932 at Fetlar after a prolonged illness.
Works
- Antiseptic Surgery: Its Principles, Practice, History and Results (1882)
- Lister and His Achievements (1885)
- Manual of the Antiseptic Treatment of Wounds (1885)
- Manual of Surgical Treatment, 7 vol. (1899–1903; with F. Burghard)
External links
- Biography in Plarr's Lives of the Fellows Online, from the Royal College of Surgeons of England
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