William Guy
Encyclopedia
William Augustus Guy was a British
physician and medical statistician
.
and educated at Christ's Hospital
and Guy's Hospital
; he then studied at the University of Heidelberg and the University of Paris
before getting a Bachelor of Medicine degree from the University of Cambridge
, 1837.
In 1842, he was appointed professor of forensic medicine at King's College London
and assistant physician at King's College Hospital, 1842; he was dean of the faculty of medicine, 1846–58. He also served as Medical Superintendent at Millbank Prison from 1859 to 1869, acting as a semi-official government advisor on prison health, diet and hygiene.
He edited the Journal of the Statistical Society of London (now the Royal Statistical Society
), 1852–6 and was its president, 1873-5. The Society still presents the Guy Medal
s (in gold, silver and bronze) in his memory.
He was vice-president of the Royal Society
, 1876–7, and Croonian (1860) and Lumleian (1868) lecturer, and Harveian
(1875) orator at the Royal College of Physicians
.
He was a founder of the Health of Towns Association and a member of the Commission on Penal Servitude and Criminal Lunacy.
. Other major works were:
Guy published lectures, and contributed papers to the Statistical Society, including the 'Influence of Employments on Health,' 'The Duration of Life among different Classes,' 'Temperance and its relation to Mortality,' 'The Mortality of London Hospitals,' 'Prison Dietaries,' and 'John Howard's True Place in History.'
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
physician and medical statistician
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
.
Life
He was born in ChichesterChichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
and educated at Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
and Guy's Hospital
Guy's Hospital
Guy's Hospital is a large NHS hospital in the borough of Southwark in south east London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It is a large teaching hospital and is home to the King's College London School of Medicine...
; he then studied at the University of Heidelberg and the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
before getting a Bachelor of Medicine degree from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, 1837.
In 1842, he was appointed professor of forensic medicine at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
and assistant physician at King's College Hospital, 1842; he was dean of the faculty of medicine, 1846–58. He also served as Medical Superintendent at Millbank Prison from 1859 to 1869, acting as a semi-official government advisor on prison health, diet and hygiene.
He edited the Journal of the Statistical Society of London (now the Royal Statistical Society
Royal Statistical Society
The Royal Statistical Society is a learned society for statistics and a professional body for statisticians in the UK.-History:It was founded in 1834 as the Statistical Society of London , though a perhaps unrelated London Statistical Society was in existence at least as early as 1824...
), 1852–6 and was its president, 1873-5. The Society still presents the Guy Medal
Guy Medal
The Guy Medals are awarded by the Royal Statistical Society in three categories; Gold, Silver and Bronze. The Gold Medal is awarded triennially, the other two are awarded annually...
s (in gold, silver and bronze) in his memory.
He was vice-president of the Royal Society
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"...
, 1876–7, and Croonian (1860) and Lumleian (1868) lecturer, and Harveian
Harveian Oration
The Harveian Oration is a yearly lecture held at the Royal College of Physicians of London. It was instituted in 1656 by William Harvey, discoverer of the systemic circulation. Harvey made financial provision for the college to hold an annual feast on St...
(1875) orator at the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
.
He was a founder of the Health of Towns Association and a member of the Commission on Penal Servitude and Criminal Lunacy.
Works
Guy's Principles of Forensic Medicine, first published in 1844, became a standard work; the fourth and later editions were edited by Dr. David FerrierDavid Ferrier
Sir David Ferrier, FRS was a pioneering Scottish neurologist and psychologist.-Life:Ferrier was born in Woodside, Aberdeen and educated at Aberdeen Grammar School before studying for an MA at Aberdeen University...
. Other major works were:
- 'R. Hooper's Physician's Vade-Mecum; enlarged and improved by W.A.G.,' (1842 and many subsequent editions). Based on the work by Robert HooperRobert Hooper (physician)-Life:The son of John Hooper of Marylebone, he was born in London. After a course of medical study in London he was appointed apothecary to the Marylebone workhouse infirmary. He entered Pembroke College, Oxford, on 24 October 1796, graduated B.A. in 1803, M.A. and M.B. in 1804. He was prevented...
. - T. Walker's 'Original,' edited with additions by W.A.G. 1875; another edition 1885. Based on the publication The Original by Thomas Walker.
- 'Public Health; a Popular Introduction to Sanitary Science,' pt. i. 1870; pt. ii. 1874.
- 'The Factors of the Unsound Mind, with special reference to the Plea of Insanity in Criminal Cases,' 1881.
- 'John Howard's Winter's Journey,' 1882.
Guy published lectures, and contributed papers to the Statistical Society, including the 'Influence of Employments on Health,' 'The Duration of Life among different Classes,' 'Temperance and its relation to Mortality,' 'The Mortality of London Hospitals,' 'Prison Dietaries,' and 'John Howard's True Place in History.'
Obituaries
- Journal of the Statistical Society of London, Vol. 48, No. 4 (Dec., 1885), pp. 650–651
- The Lancet (19 Sept 1885)