Armstrong Todd facts for kids
Armstrong Todd (1826–1873) was a surgeon from London in the 1800s. He was known for looking into new medical problems and ways to treat them. This included studying anesthetics, which are medicines that make you unable to feel pain during surgery.
Early Life and Family
Armstrong Todd was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1826. His father, Charles Hawkes Todd, was a doctor and died the same year Armstrong was born. Armstrong was the youngest of fifteen children! Some of his older brothers, like James Henthorn Todd and Robert Bentley Todd, also became well-known.
By 1848, Armstrong had earned two degrees from Trinity College Dublin: a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and a Bachelor of Medicine (M.B.). Just one year later, he passed his medical exams. This made him a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
In 1852, Armstrong married Frances Alicia Kinahan. Her father, Robert Henry Kinahan, later became the Lord Mayor of Dublin.
A Career in Medicine
Armstrong Todd began his medical career in Manchester, England. He worked as a surgeon for different medical groups. He was also a member of several important medical societies, like the British Medical Association.
In the 1850s, doctors started using chloroform more often during surgery. Chloroform helped patients not feel pain. However, Todd learned that chloroform could be dangerous if not used carefully. He wrote articles about how to give chloroform safely.
Around 1860, Todd moved to London. He became a surgeon at the Marylebone Dispensary. His home and office were close to where his older brothers lived and worked.
In 1860, Armstrong Todd helped start a special hospital. This hospital focused on treating patients with kidney stones and other problems of the urinary system. It was first called The Hospital for Stone. Later, it became known as St Peter's Hospital, Covent Garden. This hospital eventually joined with another to form London's Institute of Urology.
Personal Life
Armstrong Todd and Frances Alicia Kinahan Todd had seven children: two sons and five daughters. Both of their sons also became doctors. Their first son, Robert Henry Todd, worked as a coroner in Sydney, Australia. Their second son, Armstrong Herbert Swifte Todd, became a surgeon in County Fermanagh, Ireland.
When he was about 44 years old, Armstrong Todd became very ill. He stopped working as a doctor before 1870. He passed away on June 3, 1873, at the age of 47. He was buried in Norwood Cemetery in Lambeth, England. After his death, his wife, Frances, moved back to Dublin, Ireland.
His children were:
- Charlotte Emily Todd (1853–1909)
- Francis Caroline Hawkes Todd (1854–1901)
- Anna Julia Todd (1856–1934)
- Alicia Maria Todd (1857–1927)
- Robert Henry Todd (1859–1931)
- Caroline Stanley Edwards Todd (1863–1940)
- Dr. Armstrong Herbert Swift Todd (1865–1936)
