James Crichton-Browne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Crichton-Browne
Born	29 November 1840 Edinburgh, Scotland
Died	31 January 1938(1938-01-31) (aged 97) Dumfries, Scotland
Alma mater	Edinburgh University
Known for	Functional specialization (brain), cerebral asymmetry, biological psychiatry, medical history, photography, memoirist
Scientific career
Fields	psychiatry, public health, medical psychology
Institutions	Royal Medical Society, West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum, Court of Chancery, Medico-Psychological Association, Royal Institution, Royal Society
Influences	George Combe, Thomas Carlyle, Andrew Combe, Robert Chambers, William A. F. Browne, Duchenne de Boulogne, Hugh Welch Diamond, Charles Darwin, Thomas Laycock, Paul Broca, Henry Maudsley

Sir James Crichton-Browne (born November 29, 1840 – died January 31, 1938) was an important Scottish doctor. He studied the brain and how it relates to mental health. He also helped create public health rules for mental well-being. His father, Dr. William A.F. Browne, was also a famous doctor who worked to improve mental hospitals. James spent much of his childhood at The Crichton Royal hospital in Dumfries, where his father was in charge.

Crichton-Browne helped write important medical reports from the West Riding Lunatic Asylum. He worked closely with Charles Darwin on a famous book about emotions. Like other pioneers, he used photography to study brain conditions. He worked at the West Riding Lunatic Asylum in Wakefield from 1867 to 1875. There, he taught students about mental health. With another doctor, David Ferrier, he made the asylum a top place for brain research. Later, he worked for the Lord Chancellor, visiting patients. He always focused on how the two sides of the brain work differently. He also made predictions about how brain changes affect serious mental illnesses.

In 1920, Crichton-Browne gave a special lecture where he shared memories of another famous doctor, Henry Maudsley. In his later years, he wrote seven books about his life. In 2015, UNESCO recognized his medical papers and photos as very important cultural items.

Early Life and School (1840–1866)

James Crichton-Browne was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. His mother, Magdalene Howden Balfour, came from a well-known scientific family. Her great-uncle was the famous geologist James Hutton.

James's father, William A. F. Browne, was a pioneer in mental health care. He believed in treating patients kindly and understanding their thoughts and feelings. He also collected a lot of patient artwork. This interest in art and patients' lives influenced James's later work with photography in hospitals.

James spent his childhood at The Crichton Royal hospital in Dumfries. His father was the head doctor there. James went to school at Dumfries Academy. He later studied medicine at Edinburgh University. In 1862, he earned his medical degree. He wrote his main paper on hallucinations.

After working in several hospitals, Crichton-Browne became the head doctor at the West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum in Wakefield in 1866.

Brain Research and Darwin's Work (1866–1875)

Crichton-Browne worked at the West Riding Asylum for nearly ten years. He believed hospitals should also be places for learning and research. He started a big research program to understand the causes of mental illness. He studied many brains after patients had passed away.

In 1872, he invited David Ferrier, a Scottish brain doctor, to work at the asylum. Ferrier studied how different parts of the brain control different functions. This research made the asylum a world leader in brain science. Ferrier wrote a famous book about his findings called The Functions of the Brain.

Crichton-Browne also exchanged many letters with Charles Darwin. This happened while Crichton-Browne was writing his asylum reports and Darwin was working on his book, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. Darwin asked Crichton-Browne for his thoughts on how emotions are shown. Crichton-Browne even sent Darwin photographs of patients to help with his research. This exchange of letters was very important for understanding human behavior.

Crichton-Browne also helped start a major medical journal called Brain. He worked with another doctor, John Hughlings Jackson, on this project.

In 1879, Crichton-Browne shared his ideas about how brain damage might cause severe mental illness. He suggested that in some cases, the brain might weigh less or have enlarged spaces. He also thought that the left side of the brain might be more affected. His ideas were based on research by French doctor Paul Broca about language centers in the brain.

Working for the Lord Chancellor (1875–1922)

In 1875, Crichton-Browne was appointed as the Lord Chancellor's Medical Visitor in Lunacy. This job meant he regularly checked on wealthy patients across England and Wales. He held this position until he retired in 1922. During this time, he also had a busy private practice in London.

He became President of the Medico-Psychological Association, just like his father had. In 1883, he became a member of the Royal Society, a very respected scientific group. He also held important roles at the Royal Institution.

Crichton-Browne was friends with famous writers like Thomas Carlyle and the novelist Thomas Hardy. Hardy even gave him a signed copy of his poems.

He was known for his clear speaking and writing style. He often used stories from his childhood in Dumfries. He gave a fun lecture in 1895 about how people show emotions. He talked about how the brain controls expressions and how language relates to showing feelings.

Public Health Leadership (1901–1921)

Crichton-Browne was chosen as President of the Sanitary Inspectors' Association an amazing twenty times. This group worked to improve public health. He helped them get better training and education for sanitary inspectors. These inspectors made sure public places were clean and healthy. He was well-liked and respected by the inspectors.

Later Years and Legacy (1920–1938)

In 1920, Crichton-Browne gave a special lecture honoring Henry Maudsley. He spoke about how Maudsley's energy had inspired him.

Four years later, in 1924, he gave another lecture called The Story of the Brain. In this talk, he praised members of the Edinburgh Phrenological Society. These included George Combe and Andrew Combe, who wrote about the human mind and brain.

As he got older, Crichton-Browne's views became stronger. He was involved in a movement called eugenics, which aimed to improve human traits. This part of his life is seen as controversial today.

He passed away in Dumfries on January 31, 1938, at the age of 97.

Positions Held

• Member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1870)
• Member of the Royal Society (1883)
• Knighted by Queen Victoria (1886)
• President of the Medico-Psychological Association
• President of the Neurological Society
• President of the Medical Society of London
• President of the National Health Society
• Treasurer and Vice-President of the Royal Institution
• President of the Eugenics Education Society

His Impact

Understanding the Mind: Crichton-Browne saw himself as a medical psychologist. His reports from the West Riding Asylum were very important. He helped connect early ideas about the brain with modern neuroscience. His thoughts on how brain problems cause mental illness were ahead of his time. His work with David Ferrier on brain functions and the journal Brain made him a key figure in early brain science in Britain. His long talks with Charles Darwin showed how mental health and evolutionary ideas were linked in the 1800s. In 2015, UNESCO recognized his medical papers and photographs as globally important.

Public Well-being: Early in his career, Crichton-Browne highlighted mental health issues in children. Later, he pointed out the difference between physical and mental illnesses in older people. He was an expert in many areas of mental health, public health, and social improvements. He spoke out against hitting children as punishment. He also stressed how the two sides of the brain work differently for language. He was critical of public schools for making children memorize too much, warning it could cause mental tiredness. He was also openly doubtful about people who claimed to have psychic powers or who followed extreme diets. He suggested adding fluoride to water in 1892, which helps teeth stay strong.

Retirement Years: In his later life, Crichton-Browne spent a lot of time at his family home in Dumfries. There, he worked on many projects, including a study of the poet Robert Burns' health. He also wrote seven books of his memories. These books give a special look into Victorian society and culture.

Crichton-Browne was married twice. He was a loyal member of his church. Through his granddaughter, he became friends with the painter Gluck, who painted a striking picture of him in 1928. This painting is now in the National Portrait Gallery. Another photo of him from 1917 is also there. When he died in 1938, at 97 years old, he was celebrated as one of Scotland's greatest sons.

See also

• Crichton-Browne sign
• Council housing
• Gustav Fritsch
• Eduard Hitzig
• Teleology
• Eugenics