William Allen Sturge
Encyclopedia
William Allen Sturge was an English physician and archaeologist born in Bristol
.
After receiving his medical degree in 1873 from University College
in London, Sturge became resident medical officer and later registrar at the National Hospital for Paralysis and Epilepsy
. In 1876 he went to Paris to study neurology
with Jean Martin Charcot (1825-1893), and pathology
with Jean Alfred Fournier
(1832-1915).
In 1877 he returned to London and was physician and pathologist at the Royal Free Hospital
. In 1879 he described a disorder in a six-year old child which would later be called the Sturge-Weber syndrome
. It is co-named with another English physician, Frederick Parkes Weber
(1863-1962). This disease is a congenital disorder which affects the brain, eyes and skin.
The disease is characterized by a port-wine nevi
on the scalp along the distribution of the trigeminal nerve
, combined with glaucoma
and intracranial vascular abnormalities.
From 1880-1907, Sturge practiced medicine in Nice
, and was personal physician to Queen Victoria and her family members when they came to the French Riviera
. The Queen awarded Sturge with an MVO (Member of the Victorian Order), which is a decoration reserved for people who have rendered personal service to the Royal Family.
In 1907 Sturge retired from medicine, and dedicated his time to archaeology.
His interest was in collecting Greek and Etruscan
pottery, along with Paleolithic
and Neolithic
relics. His personal museum in Suffolk
numbered over 100,000 pieces of flint implements; presently this collection can be found in the British Museum
. His collection of Greek amphora
is housed in the Toronto Museum. He was also co-founder and president of the Society of Prehistoric Archaeology of East Anglia
.
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
.
After receiving his medical degree in 1873 from University College
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
in London, Sturge became resident medical officer and later registrar at the National Hospital for Paralysis and Epilepsy
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery is a neurological hospital in London, United Kingdom and part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust...
. In 1876 he went to Paris to study neurology
Neurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
with Jean Martin Charcot (1825-1893), and pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
with Jean Alfred Fournier
Jean Alfred Fournier
Jean Alfred Fournier was a French dermatologist who specialized in the study of venereal diseases.As a young man he served as an interne at the Hôpital du Midi as an understudy to Philippe Ricord . In 1863 he became médecine des hôpitaux, and from 1867 worked with Augustin Grisolle at the...
(1832-1915).
In 1877 he returned to London and was physician and pathologist at the Royal Free Hospital
Royal Free Hospital
The Royal Free Hospital is a major teaching hospital in Hampstead, London, England and part of the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust....
. In 1879 he described a disorder in a six-year old child which would later be called the Sturge-Weber syndrome
Sturge-Weber syndrome
Sturge–Weber syndrome, sometimes referred to as encephalotrigeminal angiomatosis, is a rare congenital neurological and skin disorder. It is one of the phakomatoses and is often associated with port-wine stains of the face, glaucoma, seizures, mental retardation, and ipsilateral leptomeningeal...
. It is co-named with another English physician, Frederick Parkes Weber
Frederick Parkes Weber
Frederick Parkes Weber was an English dermatologist who practiced medicine in London. His father, Sir Hermann David Weber was a personal physician to Queen Victoria....
(1863-1962). This disease is a congenital disorder which affects the brain, eyes and skin.
The disease is characterized by a port-wine nevi
Port-wine stain
A port-wine stain or naevus flammeus is a vascular anomaly consisting of superficial and deep dilated capillaries in the skin which produce a reddish to purplish discoloration of the skin. They are so called for their colour, resembling that of port wine...
on the scalp along the distribution of the trigeminal nerve
Trigeminal nerve
The trigeminal nerve contains both sensory and motor fibres. It is responsible for sensation in the face and certain motor functions such as biting, chewing, and swallowing. Sensory information from the face and body is processed by parallel pathways in the central nervous system...
, combined with glaucoma
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disorder in which the optic nerve suffers damage, permanently damaging vision in the affected eye and progressing to complete blindness if untreated. It is often, but not always, associated with increased pressure of the fluid in the eye...
and intracranial vascular abnormalities.
From 1880-1907, Sturge practiced medicine in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, and was personal physician to Queen Victoria and her family members when they came to the French Riviera
French Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
. The Queen awarded Sturge with an MVO (Member of the Victorian Order), which is a decoration reserved for people who have rendered personal service to the Royal Family.
In 1907 Sturge retired from medicine, and dedicated his time to archaeology.
His interest was in collecting Greek and Etruscan
Etruscan civilization
Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
pottery, along with Paleolithic
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
and Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
relics. His personal museum in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
numbered over 100,000 pieces of flint implements; presently this collection can be found in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
. His collection of Greek amphora
Amphora
An amphora is a type of vase-shaped, usually ceramic container with two handles and a long neck narrower than the body...
is housed in the Toronto Museum. He was also co-founder and president of the Society of Prehistoric Archaeology of East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
.
External reference
William Allen Sturge @ Who Named ItWho Named It
Who Named It? is an English-language dictionary of medical eponyms and the people associated with their identification. Though this is a dictionary, many eponyms and persons are presented in extensive articles with comprehensive bibliographies. It is hosted in Norway and maintained by medical...