William Macmichael
Encyclopedia
William Macmichael was a physician and medical biographer, remembered as the author of The Gold-Headed Cane (1827).
William Macmichael was born on 30 November 1783 in Bridgnorth
, Shropshire
. He was educated at Bridgnorth Grammar School. In 1800 he went up to Christ Church College, Oxford, with a scholarship. Macmichael spent the years from 1811 to 1817 visiting Bulgaria, Greece, Palestine, Romania, Russia and Turkey after gaining a Radcliffe traveling fellowship. Macmichael gained an MD from Oxford, and became a fellow of both the Royal Society
and of the Royal College of Physicians
. Macmaichael served as censor for the Royal College of Physicians
, as a physician to the Middlesex Hospital
, registrar at the Royal College of Physicians
, and adviser to the President of the Royal College of Physicians
. In 1829 Macmichael was appointed physician extraordinary to King George IV
, became librarian to the King in 30, and became physician in ordinary to King William IV
in 1831. Between 1833 and 1835 Macmichael was an Inspector General of Lunatic Asylums. Macmichael died in 1839 following his retirement through ill-health.
Macmichael's A Journey from Moscow to Constantinople in the Years 1817, 1818 was published in 1819. Macmichael's A New View of the Infection of Scarlet Fever: Illustrated by Remarks on other Contagious Disorders was published in 1822. Macmichael's The Gold-Headed Cane was published anonymously in 1827 with biographies of the owners of a cane carried by John Radcliffe, Richard Mead
, Anthony Askew
, William Pitcairn
and Matthew Baillie
. Macmichael's The Lives of British Physicians was published anonymously in 1830 including biographies of William Harvey
, Thomas Linacre
and John Caius
.
Life and career
Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth is a town in Shropshire, England, along the Severn Valley. It is split into Low Town and High Town, named on account of their elevations relative to the River Severn, which separates the upper town on the right bank from the lower on the left...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
. He was educated at Bridgnorth Grammar School. In 1800 he went up to Christ Church College, Oxford, with a scholarship. Macmichael spent the years from 1811 to 1817 visiting Bulgaria, Greece, Palestine, Romania, Russia and Turkey after gaining a Radcliffe traveling fellowship. Macmichael gained an MD from Oxford, and became a fellow of both 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"...
and of 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...
. Macmaichael served as censor for 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...
, as a physician to the Middlesex Hospital
Middlesex Hospital
The Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, United Kingdom. First opened in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally closed in 2005. Its staff and services were transferred to various sites...
, registrar 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...
, and adviser to the President of 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...
. In 1829 Macmichael was appointed physician extraordinary to King George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
, became librarian to the King in 30, and became physician in ordinary to King William IV
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
in 1831. Between 1833 and 1835 Macmichael was an Inspector General of Lunatic Asylums. Macmichael died in 1839 following his retirement through ill-health.
Macmichael's A Journey from Moscow to Constantinople in the Years 1817, 1818 was published in 1819. Macmichael's A New View of the Infection of Scarlet Fever: Illustrated by Remarks on other Contagious Disorders was published in 1822. Macmichael's The Gold-Headed Cane was published anonymously in 1827 with biographies of the owners of a cane carried by John Radcliffe, Richard Mead
Richard Mead
Richard Mead was an English physician. His work, A Short Discourse concerning Pestilential Contagion, and the Method to be used to prevent it , was of historic importance in the understanding of transmissible diseases.-Life:The eleventh child of Matthew Mead , Independent divine, Richard was born...
, Anthony Askew
Anthony Askew
Anthony Askew was an English physician and book collector.-Life and work:Askew was born in Kendal, Westmorland, the son of Dr. Adam Askew, a well-known physician of Newcastle. His early education was at Sedbergh School and The Royal Free Grammar School in Newcastle upon Tyne, where by all accounts...
, William Pitcairn
Pitcairnia
Pitcairnia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. It was named for Dr. William Pitcairn, English physician and gardener . The genus Pitcairnia ranks as the second most prolific of the bromeliad family...
and Matthew Baillie
Matthew Baillie
Matthew Baillie was a Scottish physician and pathologist.-Life:...
. Macmichael's The Lives of British Physicians was published anonymously in 1830 including biographies of William Harvey
William Harvey
William Harvey was an English physician who was the first person to describe completely and in detail the systemic circulation and properties of blood being pumped to the body by the heart...
, Thomas Linacre
Thomas Linacre
Thomas Linacre was a humanist scholar and physician, after whom Linacre College, Oxford and Linacre House The King's School, Canterbury are named....
and John Caius
John Caius
John Caius , also known as Johannes Caius, was an English physician, and second founder of the present Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.-Early years:...
.