425 Years of the Royal College

Founder of the College

In the 16th and 17th centuries, there were no formally recognised medical schools in Scotland, so Maister Lowe travelled to Paris in search of professional development. Here he not only served as surgeon to Spanish regiments but was Surgeon in Ordinary to the French King Henry IV.

Prior to his return to Glasgow in around 1598, he published his book, ‘The Whole Course of Chirurgerie’ (1597) which is believed to be the first complete guide to surgery written in English. This highly influential work, an innovation at the time, is credited with changing how many Scottish practitioners performed surgery.

Maister Lowe died on 15 August 1610 and is buried in the graveyard at Glasgow Cathedral.

Founder of the College

The physician co-founder of the College, very little is actually known about him.

it is believed that he studied medicine in the Low Countries, returning to Scotland in 1594. For most of the first twenty years of the College's existence he was its most senior officer bearer, known as Visitor.

Physicians looking to be licenced to practice in the West of Scotland had to satisify Robert Hamilton that they had the appropriate professional ability.

Founder of the College

A highly respected apothecary in Glasgow, he was named in the College's Royal Charter as the "Inspector of Drugs".

He became Visitor (the highest office in College before the role of President was established) in 1606. Many of the College's early members were apothecaries or surgeon-apothecaries, licensed in the preparation of drugs and sometimes in the practice of certain surgical procedures.

Member (1733)

Famously known as the ‘man-midwife’, Smellie is hailed as one of the 18th century’s leading experts on obstetrics.

Smellie was one of the first to base midwifery in science and invented several tools to assist with the delivery of children – including a pair of iron forceps. His book ‘Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Midwifery’ (first published in 1752) was hailed as a milestone in how it described the mechanism of parturition. This was followed by his 1754 book that contained 39 engravings by Dutch artist Jan van Rymsdyk. His belief was that this book would help young practitioners understand obstetrics without lots of unnecessary details.

Perhaps, however, one of his greatest innovations was the Mauriceau–Smellie–Veit maneuver a procedure that helped deliver babies in breech cases.

Fellow (1874), Honorary Fellow (1913)

Known as the Father of Neurosurgery, Sir William was the first person to successfully remove a brain tumour.

He was a pioneer in brain and bone surgery and was an early leading voice in the use of aseptic surgery. He also made important advancements in anaesthesia, hernia repair, prosthetics and surgery of the lung and ear.

He was a founder of the Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers (now known as Erskine) and along with Matron Rebecca Strong, was instrumental in the professionalisation of nursing.

Fellow (1912)

The College's first female Fellow, Sen obtained her medical degree in 1897 at Calcutta Medical College and joined us as a Fellow in 1912.

She practiced in Nepal between 1899 and 1909, where she served as court surgeon to the Nepalese Royal Family. In 1911 she was awarded a scholarship with the Lady Dufferin Foundation. This allowed her to travel widely, where she expanded her skills as surgeon and eventually obtained a further medical license in Dublin.

She became a Fellow of the College in 1912, after passing the fellowship exam as a surgeon. It was only in 1911 that the Royal College began to allow women to sit the examinations necessary to obtain fellowship. However, she was not allowed to hold office in the College and therefore her privileges as a fellow were restricted compared to her male counterparts.

Dr Baker was the first woman to apply for fellowship at the College – making the application in 1897.

Although she was licensed to practice medcine by the College, it was decided that women were “not eligible among the brethren” of Fellows. Although she was not awarded fellowship, her attempts represented a bold push for gender equality in medicine.

Dr Baker practiced medicine in many locations, including Greenhill House in Orkney and Lady Gomm Memorial Mission House and Accident Hospital in Rotherhithe