thumb|Bust of Monro in Old College, University of Edinburgh

thumb|The grave of Alexander Monro primus, Greyfriars Kirkyard

Alexander Monro (19 September 169710 July 1767) was a Scottish surgeon and anatomist. His father, the surgeon John Monro, had been a prime mover in the foundation of the Edinburgh Medical School and had arranged Alexander's education in the hope that his son might become the first Professor of Anatomy in the new university medical school.

After medical studies in Edinburgh, London, Paris and Leiden, Alexander Monro returned to Edinburgh, and pursued a career as a surgeon and anatomy teacher. With the support of his father and the patronage of the Edinburgh, Lord Provost George Drummond, Alexander Monro was appointed foundation Professor of Anatomy at the University of Edinburgh. His lectures, delivered in English, rather than the conventional Latin, proved popular with students and his qualities as a teacher contributed to the success and reputation of the Edinburgh medical school.

He is known as Alexander Monro primus to distinguish him from his son Alexander Monro secundus and his grandson Alexander Monro tertius who both followed him in the chair of anatomy. These three Monros between them held the Edinburgh University Chair of Anatomy for 126 years.

Early life and education

Alexander Monro was the son of John Monro and his wife, Jean Forbes, who was his first cousin. John Monro was a Monro of Auchenbowie, a cadet branch of Clan Munro, descended from the Monros of Foulis.

John Monro was a military surgeon and his son Alexander was born in London while he was on military duty there. When Alexander was three the family returned to Edinburgh, where John Monro took great care with his son's education. He had him instructed in Latin, Greek and French, and in philosophy, arithmetic and book-keeping.

He was then bound apprentice to his father, who was by now in practice as a surgeon in Edinburgh. During this apprenticeship he also attended courses in botany delivered by George Preston, courses in chemistry by Dr James Crawford and anatomy dissections at Surgeons Hall by Messers Robert Eliot, Adam Drummond and John McGill.

Studies in London, Paris and Leiden

In 1717, on completion of his apprenticeship, Alexander Munro was sent to London to study anatomy under William Cheselden, the famous surgeon who was a renowned teacher and a skilful demonstrator. A lasting friendship was formed between the two men.

He made dissections of the human body and of various animals and demonstrated a natural aptitude for this work. His career was nearly cut short as a result of a scratch on the hand inflicted while he was dissecting the suppurated lung of a subject, known to have phthisis (tuberculosis). His mentor and friend, the Scots born accoucheur and anatomist James Douglas was concerned that he would lose the arm as a result of the soft tissue infection which developed.

Monro's original appointment as professor was only at the pleasure of the Town Council, who at that time administered the University or Town's College. In 1722, encouraged by his success, Monro applied to the Council for permanent status, and although the Council had as lately as August 1719 reaffirmed the principle that regentships and professorships were to be held at their pleasure, they now departed from this and on 14 March 1722, nominated Alexander Monro sole Professor of Anatomy in the City and College.

This led to public demonstrations and riots which Monro felt endangered him and his collection of dissected specimens. Monro appealed to the Town Council to allow him to lecture and perform anatomical demonstrations within the relative safety of the University. The Council agreed and Monro moved from Surgeons Hall to the University of Edinburgh, being formally inaugurated to the university chair on 3 November 1725.

The initial medical faculty was completed in February 1726 with the appointment of John Rutherford and John Innes as Professors of the Practice of Physic, Andrew St Clair as Professor of the Institutes of Theory of Medicine, Andrew Plummer as professor of Chemistry, and John Gibson as professor of Midwifery.

Monro and the committee of donors established this hospital in August 1729 in a house in Robertson's Close, rented from the university. This had six beds where the sick poor could be treated and provide clinical teaching for medical students. This 'Hospital for the Sick Poor' or 'Little House' as it was known was the origin of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. In 1736 it received a Royal Charter from King George II, which conferred the 'Royal' designation.

With the growth of the new medical school this soon became too small for purpose and a new teaching hospital was commissioned, designed by the leading architect William Adam. The original hospital moved in 1741 and the new hospital was finally completed in 1745. Among the first admissions to the completed hospital were casualties from the Battle of Prestonpans on 21 September 1745. Monro Primus, a staunch Hanoverian, treated the wounded of both sides at the battlefield and afterwards in the new Royal Infirmary.

The great reputation attained by Monro's work did much to increase the fame of the new school of medicine on Edinburgh. In 1764, he resigned his professorship, but continued to give clinical lectures at the hospital. In the same year, he published An Account of the Inoculation of Small-pox in Scotland.

Learned societies

As a Freeman (or Fellow) of the Incorporation of Surgeons, Monro continued his surgical practice alongside anatomy teaching. Like all three generations, Monro primus was a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. Monro secundus and Monro tertius were also Presidents of the RCPE.

Monro was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, on 27 June 1723, on the recommendation of William Cheseldon. A total of six volumes were published consisting of case reports from around the British Isles, reviews of the literature and book reviews, with most of the reviews being written by Monro himself. These were popular and important in their day, being translated into French, German and Dutch. Medical Essays and Observations regarded as the first regular medical journal in Britain and one of the first in the world It was also the first medical journal to introduce anonymised peer review. This innovative publication helped to establish Monro as a major figure of the Scottish Enlightenment.

In 1765 Monro published an account of the extent of inoculation against smallpox in Scotland, in which he estimated that only 88 of Scotland's doctors, out of an estimated 270, had taken up the procedure and had inoculated a total of 5,554 people.

Family and later life

In 1725, he married Isabella MacDonald (1694 -1774), third daughter of Sir Donald MacDonald of Sleat. They had three sons and a daughter.

The eldest son, John Monro (1725-1789), became an advocate and then procurator Fiscal to the High Court of Admiralty. He inherited Achenbowie to become 5th of Auchenbowie.

The second son, Donald Monro (1727–1802), graduated MD and became Physician-General to the army, physician to St George's Hospital, London and a Fellow of the Royal Society.

The third son Alexander Monro secundus (1733–1817) succeeded his father as Professor of anatomy at the University of Edinburgh.

For Margaret (died 1802), his only surviving daughter, Monro primus wrote An essay on female conduct intended to improve her education.

From 1730, Monro lived in a large flat on the south side of the Lawnmarket, moving in 1750 to Covenant Close off the High Street.

Further reading

  • The Monros of Auchinbowie and Cognate Families. By John Alexander Inglis. Edinburgh. Printed privately by T and A Constable. Printers to His Majesty. 1911.