Alexander Macalister facts for kids
Professor Alexander Macalister (born April 9, 1844 – died September 2, 1919) was an important Irish anatomist. He became a Professor of Anatomy at Cambridge University in 1883 and held this position until he passed away. He was also a Fellow at St John’s College, Cambridge.
Life and Work
Alexander Macalister was born in Dublin, Ireland. He was the second son of Robert Macalister. Alexander went to school locally and then studied medicine at Trinity College, Dublin.
He finished his medical studies in 1861. Later, he earned his M.B. degree in 1871 and his M.D. in 1876. He first worked as a demonstrator of anatomy at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. After that, he became a professor of zoology in Dublin. Eight years later, he became a professor of anatomy and surgery there.
In 1883, Alexander Macalister moved to Cambridge. He took over the anatomy department at Cambridge University. He worked there for 36 years. He was a very busy writer.
He wrote many books and papers. His most famous book was "Text-book of Human Anatomy" (1889). He also wrote "Introduction to Animal Morphology" (1876) and "Morphology of Vertebrate Animals" (1878). These books were about the structure of animals. He also wrote smaller textbooks for students. From 1907 to 1916, he was the editor of the Journal of Anatomy.
Macalister was a very talented person. He was good at math and knew a lot about ancient history, especially Egyptology. He was also skilled at drawing. Like his cousin, Sir Donald Macalister, he spoke many languages, even fourteen!
He received many special awards. In 1881, he became a fellow of the Royal Society. He also received honorary degrees from famous universities like Edinburgh, Glasgow, and McGill. He was the Secretary of the Royal Irish Academy and the President of the Anatomical Society from 1897 to 1899.
Investigating King Henry VI
On November 4, 1910, Professor Macalister helped investigate the body of King Henry VI. The king's body was in a brick vault at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. This investigation happened with permission from King George V.
Macalister, along with other experts, examined the vault. They found a small lead chest inside. This chest held the bones of a man. According to Macalister's report, the bones belonged to a "fairly strong man, aged between 45 and 55." This report was published in The Times newspaper on November 12, 1910. The bones had been moved to Windsor in 1484, after first being buried in Chertsey Abbey in 1471.
Death
Alexander Macalister died in Cambridge on September 2, 1919. He had been ill for a long time. He was buried in the Parish of the Ascension Burial Ground in Cambridge. His wife, Elizabeth, who passed away in 1901, was also buried there.
Family
Alexander Macalister married Elizabeth Stewart in 1866. They had children, including the archaeologist R. A. Stewart Macalister and George Hugh Kidd Macalister.
