Robert Collins (physician) facts for kids

Robert Collins (1800 – 11 December 1868) was an important Irish doctor. He became the head of the Rotunda Hospital when he was only 26 years old. He found new ways to stop a dangerous infection called puerperal fever from spreading in hospitals. He also was one of the first to use the stethoscope to check on pregnant women and babies.

Early Life and Family

Robert Collins was born in 1800 at Rock Lodge, a place in Desertcreat, County Tyrone, Ireland. His parents were Martha and James Collins. He went to the University of Glasgow to study medicine. There, he learned from many skilled doctors.

Around 1824, Robert Collins married Barbara Clarke. Barbara was the daughter of another doctor, Joseph Clarke. Robert and Barbara had five children together. Sadly, Barbara died suddenly in Dublin in 1833. Robert Collins himself passed away on December 11, 1868, in Dublin.

A Doctor's Career

After finishing his studies, Robert Collins started working at the Rotunda Hospital. He was an assistant to the head doctor, John Pentland. In 1824, he got his official license to practice medicine. This license came from the King's and Queen's College of Physicians of Ireland.

Leading the Rotunda Hospital

When John Pentland died, Robert Collins became the head doctor of the Rotunda Hospital. This happened on August 26, 1826, when he was just 26 years old. At that time, a very serious infection called puerperal fever was common in hospitals. This infection affected women after they gave birth. About 16% of new mothers caught the disease. Sadly, around 30% of those who got it did not survive. The numbers were even worse in crowded hospitals.

Collins wanted to make the hospital much safer. He followed ideas from his father-in-law, Dr. Joseph Clarke. These ideas focused on keeping the hospital very clean. He also encouraged women to give birth at home if possible.

Stopping Infections

Robert Collins started a strict cleaning plan at the hospital. They used a special cleaner called chloride of lime to clean the wards. He also made sure that sick patients were kept away from healthy ones. He even rotated the wards, meaning they would sometimes close a ward for a deep clean.

These efforts made a huge difference. During the last four years that Collins was in charge of the Rotunda Hospital, not a single woman died from puerperal fever. He wrote down all his successful methods in a book. It was called A Practical Treatise of Midwifery and was published in 1835.

Using the Stethoscope

Robert Collins was also a pioneer in using the stethoscope in his work. A stethoscope is a tool doctors use to listen to sounds inside the body. He used it to listen for a baby's heartbeat before birth. This helped him confirm if a woman was pregnant. He could also tell if she was having twins. The stethoscope also helped him check if the baby was doing well during labor.

After leaving the Rotunda Hospital in 1833, Collins started his own private practice. He wrote more books about his medical techniques. In 1839, he received a special medical degree from Trinity College Dublin. He was also chosen to be a fellow of the King's and Queen's College of Physicians of Ireland.

From 1842 to 1847, he served as the treasurer for the college. During the terrible time of the Great Famine in Ireland, he became the president of the college. He served as president from 1847 to 1848.