Charles Cameron (physician)
Encyclopedia
Sir Charles Alexander Cameron, CB
(1830 – 27 February 1921) was an Irish physician, chemist and writer prominent in the adoption of medical hygiene
. For over fifty years he had charge of the Public Health Department of Dublin Corporation
.
, the son of Captain Ewen Cameron of Scotland
and Belinda Smith of County Cavan
. He was descended from Clan Cameron
of Lochiel.
He received his early education in chemistry and pharmaceutical chemistry in Dublin. In 1852 he was elected professor to the newly-founded Dublin Chemical Society, while continuing to study medicine at several schools and hospitals in Dublin. In 1854 he went to Germany where he graduated in philosophy and medicine. While there he published his translations of German poems and songs.
. In 1862 he became public analyst for the City of Dublin, which position was later extended to 23 counties in Ireland. In 1867 he was elected Professor of Hygiene in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
. He was also lecturer in chemistry in Dr Steevens' Hospital
and the Ledwich School of Medicine
, succeeding Dr. Maxwell Simpson
, and retained these positions until 1874.
From 1858 to 1863 he was editor and part proprietor of the Agricultural Review, in which he wrote hundreds of articles on various subjects. In 1860-62, he was also editor of the Dublin Hospital Gazette and afterwards published many reports upon public health to the Dublin Journal of Medical Science
. At this time he was in contact with many agricultural associations both in Ireland and abroad and received a number of awards and tributes.
In 1874 he became Co-Medical Officer of Health for Dublin Corporation and two years later became Chief Medical Officer. Being in charge of the Public Health Department of Dublin City meant that he was always in the public eye, and due to the level of poverty and disease in the city at the time his work was cut out for him. He made many recommendations for improving the sanitation of dwellings and saw to it that unsanitary housing was either improved or closed down. He published numerous sanitary reports, papers on hygiene, the social life of the very poor and proper eating habits, those of the very poor in particular. On the other hand he was in a position to meet the major figures of the day, from the monarchy and the government downwards. He was a member of several clubs in the city and dined with local and visiting celebrities alike, which he described in his reminiscences.
In 1884 he became vice-president of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, and the following year became president. He was knighted in 1885 in consideration of "his scientific researches, and his services in the cause of public health". In 1886 he published his History of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and of the Irish Schools of Medicine. This work contains nearly 300 biographies of the most eminent medical men Ireland.
He was a leading Freemason in Dublin. In 1911 he was made a Freeman of the city and honoured by many from the Sinn Féin
Lord Mayor, Alderman Kelly, to the Lord Lieutenant, Lord Aberdeen
.
He died at his home on Raglan Road
in Dublin and was interred in Mount Jerome Cemetery
.
In 1862 he married Lucie Macnamara of Dublin. At his death he left a son and two daughters; his eldest son, Captain Charles J. Cameron, died in a boating accident in Athlone in 1913, while another son, Lieutenant Ewen Henry Cameron, shot himself in a train in Newcastle
in 1915 while on the way to the Western Front
.
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...
(1830 – 27 February 1921) was an Irish physician, chemist and writer prominent in the adoption of medical hygiene
Hygiene
Hygiene refers to the set of practices perceived by a community to be associated with the preservation of health and healthy living. While in modern medical sciences there is a set of standards of hygiene recommended for different situations, what is considered hygienic or not can vary between...
. For over fifty years he had charge of the Public Health Department of Dublin Corporation
Dublin Corporation
Dublin Corporation , known by generations of Dubliners simply as The Corpo, is the former name given to the city government and its administrative organisation in Dublin between 1661 and 1 January 2002...
.
Early life and education
Cameron was born 1830 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 Captain Ewen Cameron of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Belinda Smith of County Cavan
County Cavan
County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Cavan. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county...
. He was descended from Clan Cameron
Clan Cameron
Clan Cameron is a West Highland Scottish clan, with one main branch Lochiel, and numerous cadet branches. The Clan Cameron lands are in Lochaber and within their lands is the mountain Ben Nevis which is the highest mountain in the British Isles. The chief of the clan is customarily referred to as...
of Lochiel.
He received his early education in chemistry and pharmaceutical chemistry in Dublin. In 1852 he was elected professor to the newly-founded Dublin Chemical Society, while continuing to study medicine at several schools and hospitals in Dublin. In 1854 he went to Germany where he graduated in philosophy and medicine. While there he published his translations of German poems and songs.
Medical career
Upon his return to Ireland he became scientific advisor to the Irish government in criminal cases and over the years took part in many notable trials, including those relating to the Phoenix Park MurdersPhoenix Park Murders
The Phoenix Park Murders were the fatal stabbings on 6 May 1882 in the Phoenix Park in Dublin of Lord Frederick Cavendish and Thomas Henry Burke. Cavendish was the newly appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland, and Burke was the Permanent Undersecretary, the most senior Irish civil servant...
. In 1862 he became public analyst for the City of Dublin, which position was later extended to 23 counties in Ireland. In 1867 he was elected Professor of Hygiene in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
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...
. He was also lecturer in chemistry in Dr Steevens' Hospital
Dr Steevens' Hospital
Dr Steevens' Hospital in Dublin was one of Ireland's most distinguished eighteenth-century medical establishments...
and the Ledwich School of Medicine
Thomas Hawkesworth Ledwich
Thomas Hawkesworth Ledwich was an eminent Irish anatomist and surgeon.-Life:He was born in Waterford, where his father practiced law, son of Edward Ledwich and Catherine Hawkesworth, both of Queen's County...
, succeeding Dr. Maxwell Simpson
Maxwell Simpson
Maxwell Simpson was an eminent Irish chemist.-Life:He was born in Beach Hill, County Armagh, Ireland, son of Thomas Simpson. He attended Dr. Henderson's school at Newry before continuing to Trinity College, Dublin in 1832. He graduated in 1837 and travelled on the continent...
, and retained these positions until 1874.
From 1858 to 1863 he was editor and part proprietor of the Agricultural Review, in which he wrote hundreds of articles on various subjects. In 1860-62, he was also editor of the Dublin Hospital Gazette and afterwards published many reports upon public health to 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...
. At this time he was in contact with many agricultural associations both in Ireland and abroad and received a number of awards and tributes.
In 1874 he became Co-Medical Officer of Health for Dublin Corporation and two years later became Chief Medical Officer. Being in charge of the Public Health Department of Dublin City meant that he was always in the public eye, and due to the level of poverty and disease in the city at the time his work was cut out for him. He made many recommendations for improving the sanitation of dwellings and saw to it that unsanitary housing was either improved or closed down. He published numerous sanitary reports, papers on hygiene, the social life of the very poor and proper eating habits, those of the very poor in particular. On the other hand he was in a position to meet the major figures of the day, from the monarchy and the government downwards. He was a member of several clubs in the city and dined with local and visiting celebrities alike, which he described in his reminiscences.
In 1884 he became vice-president of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, and the following year became president. He was knighted in 1885 in consideration of "his scientific researches, and his services in the cause of public health". In 1886 he published his History of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and of the Irish Schools of Medicine. This work contains nearly 300 biographies of the most eminent medical men Ireland.
He was a leading Freemason in Dublin. In 1911 he was made a Freeman of the city and honoured by many from the Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
Lord Mayor, Alderman Kelly, to the Lord Lieutenant, Lord Aberdeen
John Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair
John Campbell Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair, KT, GCMG, GCVO, PC , known as The Earl of Aberdeen from 1870 to 1916, was a Scottish politician...
.
He died at his home on Raglan Road
Raglan Road (street)
Raglan Road is a road running between Pembroke Road and Clyde Road in Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland. It came into existence in 1857, on the conclusion of peace after the Crimean War, and was named after Lord Raglan ), the first Chief Commander in that war...
in Dublin and was interred in Mount Jerome Cemetery
Mount Jerome Cemetery
Mount Jerome Cemetery is situated in Harold's Cross on the south side of Dublin, Ireland. Since its foundation in 1836, it has witnessed over 300,000 burials...
.
In 1862 he married Lucie Macnamara of Dublin. At his death he left a son and two daughters; his eldest son, Captain Charles J. Cameron, died in a boating accident in Athlone in 1913, while another son, Lieutenant Ewen Henry Cameron, shot himself in a train in Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
in 1915 while on the way to the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
.
Works
- Reminiscences of Sir Charles Cameron, CB
- History of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and of the Irish Schools of Medicine 1888