Alexander Crichton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alexander Crichton
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| Born | 2 December 1763 Newington, Edinburgh, Scotland
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| Died | 4 June 1856 (aged 92) |
| Occupation | Doctor of medicine Physician Author |
Sir Alexander Crichton (born December 2, 1763 – died June 4, 1856) was a famous Scottish doctor and writer. He was known for his medical work and for being a personal physician to the Russian Emperor.
Contents
Alexander Crichton's Medical Journey
Alexander Crichton was born in Newington, Edinburgh, Scotland. He studied medicine in many different places. He earned his M.D. (Doctor of Medicine) degree in 1785 from Leiden University in the Netherlands.
He also learned a lot by studying in cities like Paris, Stuttgart, Vienna, and Halle. In 1789, he came back to London. He became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons. By 1791, he joined the Royal College of Physicians. He also became a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London in 1793. From 1794 to 1801, he worked as a doctor at Westminster Hospital.
Working for the Russian Emperor
In 1803, something very exciting happened. Crichton was asked to become the personal doctor to the emperor of Russia. From 1804 to 1819, he was the main physician for Tsar Alexander I of Russia. He also cared for Maria Feodorovna, who was the Dowager Empress.
Besides being a personal doctor, he was also in charge of medical services in Russia. He received many special awards from Russia and Prussia for his work.
Crichton married Frances Dodwell in 1800. He also encouraged his nephew, Archibald William Crichton, to move to Russia. Archibald had a very successful career there. His family became quite important in Russia.
His Interest in Geology
After retiring and returning to England, Crichton wrote several books. Some were about medicine, and others were about geology. Geology is the study of Earth's rocks and minerals. In 1819, he became a member of the Royal Geographical Society.
Crichton had a huge collection of minerals. Most of these rocks came from places like Siberia, Russia, Norway, and Germany. He collected them while working for the Russian Emperor. He also found many during his travels across Europe when he was studying medicine.
A Pioneer in Understanding ADHD
Sir Alexander Crichton was one of the first people to describe a condition similar to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Specifically, he described something like the inattentive type of ADHD. He wrote about this in his book from 1798. The book was called An inquiry into the nature and origin of mental derangement. In this book, he explored how the human mind works and how emotions affect it.
His Later Life and Death
Sir Alexander Crichton passed away at The Groves, near Sevenoaks. He was buried at West Norwood Cemetery. His grave is marked by a special gabled granite slab.
See also
- History of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
