Anthony Carlisle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
Anthony Carlisle
FRCS, FRS
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Anthony Carlisle by Henry Bone (1827)
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| Born | February 15, 1768 |
| Died | 2 November 1840 (aged 72) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Surgeon |
Sir Anthony Carlisle (born February 15, 1768, in Stillington, County Durham, England – died November 2, 1840, in London) was an important English surgeon. He is best known for helping to discover electrolysis, a process where electricity splits water into hydrogen and oxygen.
Contents
A Life of Science and Medicine
Sir Anthony Carlisle was born in 1768. He was the third son in his family. He learned about medicine by working with doctors in York and Durham. Later, he studied in London with a very famous surgeon named John Hunter.
In 1793, he became a surgeon at Westminster Hospital. He worked there for a very long time, 47 years! He also had an interest in art and studied at the Royal Academy.
Discovering Electrolysis
One of his most important discoveries happened in 1800. Sir Anthony Carlisle and another scientist, William Nicholson, found something amazing. They used a special battery, called a voltaic pile, to send electricity through water. This made the water split into two different gases: hydrogen and oxygen. This process is called electrolysis. It was a huge step forward in understanding how electricity works and what water is made of.
Royal Recognition
Because of his important work, Sir Anthony Carlisle became a member of the Royal Society in 1804. This is a very old and respected group of scientists. He also taught anatomy there from 1808 to 1824.
He was also very involved with the Royal College of Surgeons. He became a member of their council in 1815. He was even chosen to be the president of the College twice, in 1828 and 1837. He gave special speeches there, called the Hunterian oration. In one famous speech in 1826, he surprised everyone by talking about oysters! This earned him the nickname "Sir Anthony Oyster."
From 1820 to 1830, he was a special surgeon to King George IV. The King recognized his contributions and made him a knight on July 24, 1821.
Family Life
Sir Anthony Carlisle married Martha Symmons in 1800. He passed away in 1840 and was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery in London.
See Also
- Voltaic pile
- Timeline of hydrogen technologies
