James Millar (physician) facts for kids

James Millar (born in 1762, died in 1827) was a smart Scottish man who worked as a doctor, studied plants, and wrote books. He is best known for helping to create two big versions of the Encyclopædia Britannica, which is like a huge set of books filled with facts about everything! Even though he was good at writing about science, some people thought he wasn't the best at being the main editor for the Britannica. They said he was a bit slow and not quite ready for such a big job.

James Millar's Early Life and Education

James Millar was born in Ayr, a town on the west coast of Scotland, on February 4, 1762.

Studying at University

He went to Glasgow University where he studied two main subjects:

• Classics: This means he learned about ancient Greek and Roman history, languages, and literature.
• Science: He also studied different areas of science.

Working and Moving to Edinburgh

After university, James Millar worked for a few years as a tutor in Jamaica. A tutor is like a private teacher. Later, he became a chaplain at Glasgow University. A chaplain is a minister or priest who works in a special place like a university or hospital.

He then moved to Edinburgh, a big city in Scotland. There, he earned his M.D. degree, which means he became a medical doctor. He also became a member of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. This is a group of important doctors. In 1822, he joined another special group called the Aesculapian Club.

Teaching and Helping People

James Millar often gave talks about natural history (the study of nature) and chemistry. He also worked as a doctor at the Edinburgh Dispensary. A dispensary was a place where people could get medicine and medical help, often for free or at a low cost. Sadly, he caught a fever while working there and passed away on July 13, 1827.

He lived at 16 Brown Square in Edinburgh and had a family.

James Millar's Published Works

James Millar was a busy writer and editor. He helped create several important books and encyclopedias.

Ideas for a Tunnel

In 1807, James Millar worked with William Vazie to publish a book called Observations on the Advantages and Practicability of making Tunnels under Navigable Rivers. This book talked about how useful it would be to build tunnels under rivers. They specifically looked at a plan for a tunnel under the Firth of Forth, a large river in Scotland, from Rosyth to Queensferry. Even though they had good ideas, the tunnel was never built.

Editing Encyclopedias

Millar is most famous for his work on the Encyclopædia Britannica.

• He was the editor for the fourth edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, which had 20 volumes and was finished in 1810.
• He also edited the last 15 volumes of the fifth edition of the same work, which was completed in 1817.

He wrote many articles for both of these huge encyclopedias.

Millar also planned and edited another encyclopedia that was meant to be easier to understand for more people. It was called the Encyclopædia Edinensis, and it had 6 volumes, published in 1827.

Other Books He Wrote

Besides encyclopedias, James Millar wrote other books, often based on articles he had already written:

• A Guide to Botany (1819): This book helped people learn about plants.
• Elements of Chemistry (1820): This book taught the basics of chemistry.
• Practical Observations on Cold and Warm Bathing, and descriptive Notices of Watering-places in Britain (1821): This book gave advice on bathing and described popular health resorts in Britain.

Artistic Recognition

A special portrait of James Millar, made by John Henning (1771-1851), is kept at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. It is a medallion, which is like a small, round sculpture.

Images for kids

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  Portrait of James Millar by John Henning