Robert Jackson (surgeon)
Encyclopedia
Robert Jackson M.D. was a Scottish physician-surgeon, reformer, and inspector-general of army hospitals.
, he was the son of a small farmer. After schooling at Wandon and Crawford
he was apprenticed for three years to a surgeon at Biggar
, and in 1768 joined the medical classes at Edinburgh. Supporting himself by going twice on a whaling voyage as surgeon, he finished his studies without graduating, and went to Jamaica
, where he acted as assistant to a doctor at Savanna-la-mer from 1774 to 1780. He next made his way to New York
, with the intention of joining the state volunteers; but he was eventually received by the colonel of a Scottish regiment (the 71st) as ensign, with the duties of hospital-mate.
He arrived at Greenock
in 1782, and travelled to London on foot. He left early in 1783 on a journey on foot through France, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy, and landed on his return at Southampton
with four shillings in his pocket. He walked to London, and thence, in January 1784, to Perth where the 71st regiment was stationed. Coming at length to Edinburgh he remained two or three months, and married the daughter of Dr. Stephenson, and the niece of an officer whom he had known in New York. His wife's fortune placed him in easy circumstances, and he spent the next year in Paris, attending hospitals and studying languages (including Arabic), and then went to Leyden, where he passed an examination for M.D. in 1786.
Jackson settled as a physician at Stockton-on-Tees
, and remained there seven years. When war broke out in 1793, he was appointed surgeon to the 3rd regiment (Buffs), on the strength of a book which he had published on West Indian fevers. Not being connected with the College of Physicians of London he was ineligible for the office of army physician; but he received the promotion in 1794, after the personal intervention of the Duke of York
. This incident was the beginning of Jackson's resolute opposition to the monopoly of the College of Physicians and to the administration of the old army medical board. A new system was put in place by 1810, with an open career from the lowest to the highest ranks of the army medical service. While campaign he wrote seven pamphlets (from 1803 to 1809), was obliged to retire from active service, and committed an assault on Keate, the surgeon-general, striking him across the shoulders with his gold-headed cane, and suffered six months' imprisonment. The overthrow of the monopoly was hastened by incompetence in the disastrous Walcheren expedition. Jackson had many supporters, among them Dr. James McGrigor.
Meanwhile, from 1794 to 1798, he had been on active service in Holland and in the West Indies, acquiring experience which formed the basis of his major works. In 1811, his old enemies being now out of the way, he was recalled from his retirement at Stockton to be medical director in the West Indies, in which office he remained until 1815. He retired on half-pay as inspector-general of army hospitals, and a pension was later granted him. In 1819, when yellow fever
was in Spain, he visited the Mediterranean. He died of paralysis at Thursby
, near Carlisle, on 6 April 1827. Four children of his first marriage predeceased him. His second wife, who survived him, was a daughter of J. H. Tidy, rector of Redmarshall
, County Durham
.
In 1817 appeared his ‘History and Cure of Febrile Diseases,’ relating chiefly to soldiers in the West Indies, 1819; 2nd edit., enlarged to 2 vols., 1820. His ‘Observations of the Yellow Fever in Spain’ was published in 1821. In 1823 he published at Stockton ‘An Outline of Hints for the Political Organization and Moral Training of the Human Race.’
Life
He was born at Stonebyres, near the Falls of ClydeFalls of Clyde (waterfalls)
The Falls of Clyde is the collective name of four linn on the River Clyde near New Lanark, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The Falls of Clyde comprise the upper falls of Bonnington Linn, Corra Linn, Dundaff Linn, and the lower falls of Stonebyres Linn. Corra Linn is the highest, with a fall of 90 feet...
, he was the son of a small farmer. After schooling at Wandon and Crawford
Crawford, South Lanarkshire
Crawford is a village in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.Crawford is close to the source of the River Clyde and the M74 motorway, fifty miles south east of Glasgow and fifty-three miles north west of Carlisle...
he was apprenticed for three years to a surgeon at Biggar
Biggar, South Lanarkshire
Biggar is a town and former burgh in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is situated in the Southern Uplands, near the River Clyde, around 30 miles from Edinburgh along the A702. The closest towns are Lanark and Peebles, and as such Biggar serves a wide rural area...
, and in 1768 joined the medical classes at Edinburgh. Supporting himself by going twice on a whaling voyage as surgeon, he finished his studies without graduating, and went to Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, where he acted as assistant to a doctor at Savanna-la-mer from 1774 to 1780. He next made his way to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, with the intention of joining the state volunteers; but he was eventually received by the colonel of a Scottish regiment (the 71st) as ensign, with the duties of hospital-mate.
He arrived at Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
in 1782, and travelled to London on foot. He left early in 1783 on a journey on foot through France, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy, and landed on his return at Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
with four shillings in his pocket. He walked to London, and thence, in January 1784, to Perth where the 71st regiment was stationed. Coming at length to Edinburgh he remained two or three months, and married the daughter of Dr. Stephenson, and the niece of an officer whom he had known in New York. His wife's fortune placed him in easy circumstances, and he spent the next year in Paris, attending hospitals and studying languages (including Arabic), and then went to Leyden, where he passed an examination for M.D. in 1786.
Jackson settled as a physician at Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in north east England. It is the major settlement in the unitary authority and borough of Stockton-on-Tees. For ceremonial purposes, the borough is split between County Durham and North Yorkshire as it also incorporates a number of smaller towns including...
, and remained there seven years. When war broke out in 1793, he was appointed surgeon to the 3rd regiment (Buffs), on the strength of a book which he had published on West Indian fevers. Not being connected with the College of Physicians of London he was ineligible for the office of army physician; but he received the promotion in 1794, after the personal intervention of the Duke of York
Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany
The Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany was a member of the Hanoverian and British Royal Family, the second eldest child, and second son, of King George III...
. This incident was the beginning of Jackson's resolute opposition to the monopoly of the College of Physicians and to the administration of the old army medical board. A new system was put in place by 1810, with an open career from the lowest to the highest ranks of the army medical service. While campaign he wrote seven pamphlets (from 1803 to 1809), was obliged to retire from active service, and committed an assault on Keate, the surgeon-general, striking him across the shoulders with his gold-headed cane, and suffered six months' imprisonment. The overthrow of the monopoly was hastened by incompetence in the disastrous Walcheren expedition. Jackson had many supporters, among them Dr. James McGrigor.
Meanwhile, from 1794 to 1798, he had been on active service in Holland and in the West Indies, acquiring experience which formed the basis of his major works. In 1811, his old enemies being now out of the way, he was recalled from his retirement at Stockton to be medical director in the West Indies, in which office he remained until 1815. He retired on half-pay as inspector-general of army hospitals, and a pension was later granted him. In 1819, when yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
was in Spain, he visited the Mediterranean. He died of paralysis at Thursby
Thursby
Thursby is a village near Carlisle in north-western England. West of Thursby is the church of St Andrews, built in 1846. It was not the first church on the site; one existed since the 6th century....
, near Carlisle, on 6 April 1827. Four children of his first marriage predeceased him. His second wife, who survived him, was a daughter of J. H. Tidy, rector of Redmarshall
Redmarshall
Redmarshall is a village and civil parish in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees and ceremonial county of County Durham, England. Redmarshall is situated to the west of Stockton-on-Tees, the Village is also located just north of the A66 which is one of the main Trunk routes in, out and through...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
.
Works
Jackson's first book was ‘A Treatise on the Fevers of Jamaica,’ 1791 (reprinted at Philadelphia in 1795, and in German at Leipzig in 1796), the result of his early experience as an assistant. He recommends the treatment of fevers by cold affusion, which was afterwards advocated by James Currie, and by himself in a special essay published at Edinburgh in 1808. His San Domingo experiences of 1796 were embodied in his next work, ‘An Outline of the History and Cure of Fever, Epidemic and Contagious, more especially of Jails, Ships, and Hospitals, and the Yellow Fever. With Observations on Military Discipline and Economy, and a Scheme of Medical Arrangement for Armies,’ Edinburgh, 1798; German edition, Stuttgart, 1804. He took up military medical arrangements again in 1804 in his best-known work, ‘A Systematic View of the Formation, Discipline, and Economy of Armies,’ which was republished by him at Stockton in 1824, and finally at London in 1845, with portrait and memoir. Part ii. of this work is a philosophical sketch of ‘national military character’ from ancient and modern sources.In 1817 appeared his ‘History and Cure of Febrile Diseases,’ relating chiefly to soldiers in the West Indies, 1819; 2nd edit., enlarged to 2 vols., 1820. His ‘Observations of the Yellow Fever in Spain’ was published in 1821. In 1823 he published at Stockton ‘An Outline of Hints for the Political Organization and Moral Training of the Human Race.’