Alexander Monro III facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alexander Monro III
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Alexander Monro in the 1840s
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| Born | 5 November 1773 |
| Died | 10 March 1859 (aged 85) Craiglockhart, Scotland
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| Nationality | Scottish |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | medicine, surgery, anatomy |
Alexander Monro III (born November 5, 1773 – died March 10, 1859) was a Scottish doctor. He taught anatomy, which is the study of the body's structure. He worked at the University of Edinburgh Medical School.
Many people thought Monro was not as good a teacher or scientist as his father or grandfather. One of his famous students was Charles Darwin. Darwin said that Monro made his anatomy classes very boring.
Contents
A Look at Monro's Life
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Alexander Monro III was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on November 5, 1773. His father and grandfather, both named Alexander Monro, had also been anatomy professors at the University of Edinburgh. This meant he came from a long line of famous doctors.
He went to the High School in Edinburgh. Then, he studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. He earned his medical degree in September 1797.
After his studies in Edinburgh, he traveled to London and Paris. He learned more about anatomy from other experts. In 1799, he returned to Edinburgh. He became a professor alongside his father.
Teaching at Edinburgh University
In the early 1800s, the University of Edinburgh was a top medical school. However, its reputation had started to slip. The city council, not always focused on teaching ability, chose many professors.
Some families even passed down professor jobs. Critics said Alexander Monro III was an example of this. They felt he was not the best choice for the job.
Monro's teaching style was described as "unimpassioned." Sometimes, his lectures even led to student protests.
Monro's Appearance and Darwin's Views
Alexander Monro III did not pay much attention to his looks. People at the time said he often seemed messy. In those days, some doctors thought being too neat was not important.
Charles Darwin studied at the University of Edinburgh in 1825. He was not impressed by Monro. Darwin found Monro's lectures uninspiring and his appearance untidy, especially after working with bodies for dissection.
Darwin wrote to his family that he disliked Monro and his classes. Many students chose to learn from other private teachers instead. Darwin himself found surgery difficult to watch. He soon focused on studying nature instead of medicine.
The Burke and Hare Murders
During Monro's time as a professor, Edinburgh faced a big scandal. This was known as the "Burke and Hare murders". Two men, Burke and Hare, killed people to sell their bodies. These bodies were then used by anatomy teachers and students for dissection.
One of the murderers, William Burke, was hanged in January 1829. After his execution, Monro publicly dissected Burke's body at the Edinburgh Medical College. Monro even dipped his pen in Burke's blood to write a note about it.
End of a Family Legacy
Alexander Monro III retired from his teaching role in 1846. This ended a long family tradition. The Monro family had taught anatomy at Edinburgh University for 126 years.
Monro wrote several books on anatomy. These included "Outlines of the Anatomy of the Human Body" (1811) and "Elements of Anatomy" (1825). Even though he taught about surgery, he had never trained or worked as a surgeon himself.
He was also involved with the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. He served as its Secretary and later as its President.
Monro passed away on March 10, 1859, at Craiglockhart House near Edinburgh. He is buried in Dean Cemetery.
Famous Students
Monro taught many students who later became well-known doctors. Here are a few of them:
- William Alison
- Robert Christison
- John Elliotson
- Robert Liston
- James Syme
- Thomas Stewart Traill
Monro's Family Tree
Alexander Monro III is also called Alexander Monro Tertius. This is because his grandfather, Alexander Monro Primus, and his father, Alexander Monro Secundus, had the same name. They were also anatomy professors at the University of Edinburgh.
His great-grandfather, John Munro, was an Edinburgh surgeon. He helped start the Edinburgh Medical School.
Alexander Monro III married twice. First, in 1800, he married Maria Agnes Carmichael-Smyth. They had 12 children together. After she passed away, he married Jessie Hunter in 1836.
In the 1830s, he lived with his large family at 1 Great Stuart Street in Edinburgh. His neighbor was Dr. Robert Christison.
His son, Sir David Monro, became a politician in New Zealand. He was the second Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives.
His daughter, Maria Monro, married John Inglis. Another daughter, Catherine Monro, married John James Stuart of Allanbank.
Monro had several other sons who served in the military or became landowners.
See also
- Alexander Monro Primus, 1698–1767
- Alexander Monro Secundus, 1733–1817
