George Edward Day facts for kids

George Edward Day (born 1815, died 1872) was an important Welsh doctor. He made many contributions to medicine and science during his lifetime.

Early Life and Education

George Edward Day was born on August 4, 1815, in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. His father, also named George Day, lived in Swansea. Young George's family faced financial difficulties when a bank failed in 1826. After this, his grandmother, Mrs. Hale, helped raise him.

In 1833, George Day began his studies at Trinity College, Cambridge. After just one term, he earned a scholarship to Pembroke College. He graduated from Pembroke College in 1837.

He then went on to study medicine in Edinburgh, a city famous for its medical schools. There, he was very successful and won several medals for his achievements. He received his Master of Arts (M.A.) degree from Cambridge in 1840.

Medical Career

In 1843, George Day started working as a doctor in London. He became a member of the important Royal College of Physicians in 1844. Three years later, in 1847, he became a fellow of the college, which is a higher honor.

He worked as a doctor at the Western General Dispensary. He also taught about materia medica, which is the study of medicines and how they work, at Middlesex Hospital.

In 1849, Day moved to Scotland to become the Chandos Professor of Anatomy and Medicine at the University of St Andrews. This was a very important teaching position. He also earned his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the University of Giessen in Germany. While at St Andrews, he helped improve the way medical students were examined for their M.D. degrees.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1857, George Day had an accident while climbing on Helvellyn, a mountain in England. He broke his arm and never fully recovered from the injury.

Due to changes at St Andrews University in 1863, he retired with a pension. He moved to Torquay in England, hoping the climate would improve his health. However, he became a permanent invalid, meaning he was always unwell.

George Edward Day passed away on January 31, 1872. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1850. This is a very prestigious honor for scientists and scholars. He was also a member of many other learned societies, showing his dedication to science and medicine.

Works and Publications

George Day was a very active writer and translator. He wrote for many medical journals and scientific groups. His work helped share important medical knowledge with others.

Some of his notable works include:

• Reports on medical topics for William Harcourt Ranking's Half-yearly Abstract of the Medical Sciences.
• A translation of Johann Franz Simon's Animal Chemistry (1845). This book was about the chemistry of living things.
• A translation of Julius Vogel's Pathological Anatomy of the Human Body (1847). This book discussed how diseases affect the body's structure.
• A Practical Treatise on the Domestic Management and most important Diseases of Advanced Life (1851). This book focused on caring for older people and their common illnesses.
• Translations of important medical and chemistry texts for scientific societies, like Karl Gotthelf Lehmann's Physiological Chemistry (1851) and Carl Rokitansky's Pathological Anatomy of the Organs of Respiration (1852).
• Chemistry in its relations to Physiology and Medicine (1860).

Day also wrote many articles for Chambers's Encyclopædia. He contributed nearly all the articles on anatomy, physiology, and medicine starting with the letter D. He also wrote all the chemistry articles starting with H. He published lectures and articles in well-known medical journals like Medical Times and Gazette and The Lancet. He also wrote for popular magazines such as Nature, Chambers's Journal, and All the Year Round.

Family Life

In 1841, George Day married Ellen Anna Buckton. Her father, James Buckton, was a solicitor from Doctors' Commons and Wrexham. George and Ellen had a family with two sons and four daughters.

See also

List of Welsh medical pioneers