John Houston (doctor) facts for kids

John Houston (born 1802 – died 30 July 1845) was an important Irish doctor and expert in anatomy. Anatomy is the study of the body's structure. He made key discoveries and helped bring new tools, like the microscope, into Irish medicine.

Early Life and Education

John Houston was born in 1802 in a part of Ireland that is now called Northern Ireland. He was the oldest son of a church minister. But his uncle, Joseph Taylor, who was an army doctor, adopted him.

His uncle offered to pay for his schooling. So, in 1819, John moved to Dublin. There, he became a student of John Shekleton. Shekleton was a surgeon and worked at the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI).

John finished his training in 1824. He passed his final exams and became a qualified surgeon. In 1826, he became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He also earned a medical degree from the University of Edinburgh in the same year.

Discoveries and Career

After his mentor John Shekleton passed away, Houston took over his role as the curator at the RCSI museum. A curator is someone who looks after a collection of items.

Important Discoveries

In 1830, Houston made a significant discovery. He found special folds inside the body part called the rectum. These folds are now named "Houston's valves" after him.

Museum Work

Houston was very busy at the RCSI museum. He published a list of the museum's normal body specimens in 1834. Later, in 1840, he published another list for specimens that showed diseases. In 1843, he also made a list for the museum at the Park Street School of Medicine.

He was paid £150 by RCSI for preparing anatomical specimens. During his 17 years as curator, Houston greatly expanded the museum's collection. Famous anatomists from Europe said it was "one of the most valuable" collections.

Introducing the Microscope

In 1844, Houston wrote a scientific paper with pictures. It was about using microscopes to study cancer. He is known for being the first to use the microscope in Irish medicine. This was a big step forward for understanding diseases.

Teaching and Hospitals

Houston loved teaching. In 1824, he taught anatomy at RCSI. Later, in 1837, he became a lecturer in surgery at the Park Street School of Medicine. Students liked him because he was always on time and good at explaining things.

He also helped build the Baggot Street Hospital. In 1832, he became a surgeon there. He also worked as a consultant surgeon at St. Peter's Dispensary. Houston had his own private medical practice too. He was also a member of the Royal Irish Academy, a group that promotes science and learning in Ireland.

Selected Papers

John Houston wrote several important papers during his career:

• "On the Structure and Mechanism of the Tongue of the Chameleon" - 1828
• "Dropsy" - 1842
• "The mode of Treatment in Fever" - 1844

Later Life and Death

In April 1845, Houston suddenly collapsed while giving a lecture at Baggot Street Hospital. He had a serious bleeding in his brain. He passed away a few months later, on 30 July 1845. A tribute to him appeared in a medical journal the next year.