William Stokes (surgeon)
Encyclopedia
Sir William Stokes was an Irish surgeon.
The son of William Stokes, he was born in Dublin, studied medicine there (M.D.
, 1863) and at Berlin
, London
, Paris
, and Vienna
. In 1864 he settled in practice in Clare St., Dublin until 1878 when he moved to his father's house in Merrion Square
. In 1864 he was elected surgeon to the Meath Hospital
. He resigned this post in 1868 upon his appointment as surgeon to the House of Industry Hospitals (which included the Richmond Hospital).
In 1871 he became professor
of surgery
at the Royal College of Surgeons
of Ireland
. He served as president of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1886–1887 and was knighted in 1886. In 1888 he returned to the Meath Hospital as surgeon, and was appointed surgeon in ordinary to Queen Victoria
in 1892. He was a governor of the Westmoreland Lock Hospital in Dublin.
In 1900 he went to South Africa
as consulting surgeon to the British forces in the war against the Boer
s. While there he was attacked with pleurisy
, and he died in Pietermaritzburg
. He was buried in the military cemetery at Fort Napier, Natal.
In 1869 he married Elizabeth Moore by whom he had one son and two daughters. He wrote, amongst other works, Contributions to Practical Surgery (1865, et seq) and Selected Papers on Operative and Clinical Surgery (1902), edited by William Taylor.
The son of William Stokes, he was born in Dublin, studied medicine there (M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
, 1863) and at Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. In 1864 he settled in practice in Clare St., Dublin until 1878 when he moved to his father's house in Merrion Square
Merrion Square
Merrion Square is a Georgian square on the southside of Dublin city centre. It was laid out after 1762 and was largely complete by the beginning of the 19th century. It is considered one of the city's finest surviving squares...
. In 1864 he was elected 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....
. He resigned this post in 1868 upon his appointment as surgeon to the House of Industry Hospitals (which included the Richmond Hospital).
In 1871 he became professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
at the Royal College of Surgeons
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland , is a Dublin-based medical institution, situated on St. Stephen's Green. The college is one of the five Recognised Colleges of the National University of Ireland...
of Ireland
Ireland
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...
. He served as president of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1886–1887 and was knighted in 1886. In 1888 he returned to the Meath Hospital as surgeon, and was appointed surgeon in ordinary to Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
in 1892. He was a governor of the Westmoreland Lock Hospital in Dublin.
In 1900 he went to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
as consulting surgeon to the British forces in the war against the Boer
Boer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
s. While there he was attacked with 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....
, and he died in Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
. He was buried in the military cemetery at Fort Napier, Natal.
In 1869 he married Elizabeth Moore by whom he had one son and two daughters. He wrote, amongst other works, Contributions to Practical Surgery (1865, et seq) and Selected Papers on Operative and Clinical Surgery (1902), edited by William Taylor.