William Inglis (surgeon) facts for kids
William Inglis (born April 3, 1713 – died July 10, 1792) was an important Scottish surgeon. He held a special position as the leader, called Deacon, of the Incorporation of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Later, when this group became the Royal College of Surgeons of the City of Edinburgh in 1778, he served as its President twice. William Inglis was also one of the first captains of a famous golf club, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.
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Becoming a Surgeon
William Inglis was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on April 3, 1713. His father, Alexander Inglis, was also a surgeon in Edinburgh. William learned his surgical skills through an apprenticeship, which is like a long training period.
In 1743, William wanted to become a full member, or Fellow, of the Incorporation of Surgeons of Edinburgh. To do this, he had to pass a difficult exam. This exam had four parts and took place over three months.
- First Test: He was tested on general surgery and talked about a medical problem called a "fistula".
- Second Test: He answered questions about the brain.
- Third Test: He showed his knowledge of plants (botany), medicines (materia medica), and how to read and explain medical recipes or prescriptions. This showed that surgeons back then needed to know how to prepare medicines too.
- Final Test: He had to describe an operation for a chest infection called empyema and explain how to make different medical ointments.
William passed all his tests! He paid a fee of £8 6 shillings and 8 pence, which was a lot of money back then. On October 7, 1743, he officially became a Fellow of the Incorporation.
Leading Surgeons in Edinburgh
William Inglis became a very respected leader among surgeons. From 1772 to 1774, he was the Deacon of the Incorporation of Surgeons.
In 1778, the group received a special Royal Charter, which is like an official document from the King or Queen. This changed their name to the Royal College of Surgeons of the City of Edinburgh. William Inglis then served as President of this new Royal College two times:
- From 1782 to 1784
- And again from 1790 to 1792
In 1784, he also became a member of the Aesculapian Club, a group for medical professionals.
A Family of Surgeons
The Inglis family had many surgeons, going back at least five generations! William's father, Alexander, was a surgeon.
William married Margaret Spens. Her brother, Nathaniel Spens, was also a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. Even though he was trained as a surgeon, Nathaniel chose to work as a physician (a doctor who treats illnesses with medicine). He even became President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.
William's son, Andrew Inglis (who died in 1834), followed in his father's footsteps. Andrew became a surgeon and was President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh from 1808 to 1810.
Andrew's sons also became surgeons:
- Thomas Inglis (1796-1874)
- Archibald Inglis (1801-1889)
Archibald Inglis later became President of the College from 1853 to 1855. Archibald's son, Andrew Inglis, also became a professor of midwifery (helping with childbirth) at the University of Aberdeen. This shows how important surgery was to the Inglis family for many years.
Golfing Life
Besides his medical career, William Inglis was also a skilled golfer. He was the Captain of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers from 1792 to 1794.
A famous Scottish artist named David Allan painted a portrait of William Inglis. In the painting, William is wearing the red uniform of the golf company. In the background, you can see Leith Links, which was the golf course where the company played their yearly competitions.
His Final Years
William Inglis passed away in Edinburgh on July 10, 1792.
