John Struthers (anatomist)

Infobox Person
name = John Struthers
birth_date = birth date|1823|02|21
birth_place = Brucefield, Dunfermline, Scotland
death_date = death date|1899|02|24
death_place = Edinburgh, Scotland
resting_place = Warriston Cemetery, Edinburgh, Scotland
resting_place_coordinates =
nationality = Scottish
education = University of Edinburgh
employer = University of Edinburgh, University of Aberdeen
occupation = anatomist, physician, professor
spouse = Christina Margaret Alexander
children = five sons, four daughters
parents = Father – Alexander Struthers
Mother – Mary Reid

Sir John Struthers, LRCSE, MD, LLD, FRCSE, FRSE (b. Birth date|1823|02|21, Brucefield, near Dunfermline, Scotland – d. Death date|1899|02|24) was Professor of Anatomy at the University of Aberdeen.

After completing his medical training in Edinburgh in 1845, Struthers specialized in anatomy and was appointed as Lecturer of Anatomy at the University of Edinburgh and as a surgeon at the Royal Infirmary. In 1863, Struthers became the first Regius Chair of Anatomy at the recently formed University of Aberdeen. [cite web | url=http://www.abdn.ac.uk/talpa/struthers/index.hti | title=The Zoology of Professor Struthers | author=Martyn Gorman | date=2003 | publisher=Department of Zoology, University of Aberdeen | accessdate=2008-06-21] cite news | title = SIR JOHN STRUTHERS DEAD.; He Was Vice President of the Edinburgh College of Surgeons. | work = The New York Times | date = 1899-02-25 | url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9404EFDC113CE433A25756C2A9649C94689ED7CF | accessdate = 2008-06-21 ] cite book | last = Lee | first = Sidney | title = Dictionary of National Biography | year = 1901 | publisher = Smith, Elder & Co | location = London] He dedicated himself to teaching, writing a number of manuscripts on teaching and learning. Many of the methods he used are relevant today. [cite journal |author=Waterston SW, Laing MR, Hutchison JD |title=Nineteenth century medical education for tomorrow's doctors |journal=Scott Med J |volume=52 |issue=1 |pages=45–9 |year=2007 |month=February |pmid=17373426 |doi= |url=http://smj.org.uk/0207/hist2.htm] cite journal |author=Waterston SW, Hutchison JD |title=Sir John Struthers MD FRCS Edin LLD Glasg: anatomist, zoologist and pioneer in medical education |journal=Surgeon |volume=2 |issue=6 |pages=347–51 |year=2004 |month=December |pmid=15712576 |doi= |url=] His Doctor of Laws degree was an honorary one, granted by the University of Glasgow in 1885.

Struthers was one of the first advocates of the theory of evolution, speaking publicly [cite news | last = Struthers | first = John | title = Evolution | work = Aberdeen Daily Free Press | date = 1874-02-24 | url = http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?viewtype=image&itemID=CUL-DAR198.199&pageseq=1 | accessdate = 2008-06-28] and corresponding with Charles Darwin [cite web | url = http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/darwinletters/calendar/entry-4725.html | title = Darwin Correspondence Project - Letter 4725 - Struthers, John to Darwin, C. R., 31 Dec 1864 | accessdate = 2008-06-28] about observations he made during his comparative anatomy studies [cite journal | last = Struthers | first = John | year = 1863 | title = On the solid-hoofedpig; and on a case in which the fore foot of the horse presented two toes | journal = Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal | volume = 17 | pages = 273–80] [cite journal | last = Struthers | first = John | year = 1863 | title = On the supra-condyloid process of the human arm | journal = Lancet | pages = 87–8 | doi = 10.1016/S0140-6736(00)63465-7 | volume = 81] [cite web | title = Charles Darwin and Struthers' liagament | work = The Zoology of Professor Struthers | publisher = University of Aberdeen | url = http://www.abdn.ac.uk/talpa/struthers/ligament1.hti | accessdate = 2008-06-28]

Struthers became popularly famous for his dissection of the Tay Whale - his largest specimen. [cite web |url=http://www.abdn.ac.uk/talpa/struthers/tay_whale.hti |title=Professor Struthers and the Tay Whale |accessdate=2008-06-19] [cite journal |author=Williams MJ |title=Professor Struthers and the Tay whale |journal=Scott Med J |volume=41 |issue=3 |pages=92–4 |year=1996 |month=June |pmid=8807706 |doi= |url=]

On retiring from the University of Aberdeen, he returned to Edinburgh, where he was president of the Royal College of Surgeons (1895-1897). He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1894, [citation | title = Former Fellows of The Royal Society of Edinburgh: 1783 - 2002 | url = http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/fellowship/fells_indexp2.pdf | publisher = The Royal Society of Edinburgh | year = 2006 | month = July | isbn = 0-902198-84-X] and was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1898, one year before his death following a "serious attack of influenza."cite journal | title = Obituary - Sir John Struthers MD | journal = Nature | volume = 59 | issue = 1533 | pages = 468–469 | year = 1899 | month = March | doi = 10.1038/059468a0 | url = ] [cite journal | journal = Medical Press and Circular | title = Obituary: Emeritus Professor Sir John Struthers | pages = 232 | date = 1899-03-01]

Struthers was father-in-law of David Orme Masson, grandfather of Sir James Irvine Orme Masson, and father-in-law of Simon Somerville Laurie. [citation | url = http://www.dunfermlineheritage.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=122&Itemid=193&limit=1&limitstart=4 | title = Sir John Struthers 1823-1899 | publisher = Dunfermline Heritage Community Projects] [citation | author = Weickhardt, LW | contribution = Masson, Sir James Irvine Orme (1887 - 1962) | title = Australian Dictionary of Biography, Online Edition | year = 2006 | ISSN = 1833-7538 | publisher = Australian National University | url = http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A100699b.htm] [cite web | author = Josipa Petrunic | title = Simon Somerville Laurie | work = Gifford Lectures | publisher = University of Edinburgh | url = http://www.giffordlectures.org/Author.asp?AuthorID=107]

Bibliography

Struthers authored over 70 manuscripts and books, including:
*cite book | last = Struthers | first = John | title = Anatomical and Physiological Observations | year = 1854 | publisher = Sutherland and Knox | location = Edinburgh
*cite book | last = Struthers | first = John | title = Historical Sketch of the Edinburgh Anatomical School | year = 1867 | publisher = Maclachlan and Stewart | location = Edinburgh
*cite book | last = Struthers | first = John | title = Memoir on the Anatomy of the Humpback Whale, Megaptera Longimana | year = 1889 | publisher = Maclachlan | location = Edinburgh

Anatomical drawings

References

Persondata
NAME= Struthers, John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= anatomist, physician, professor
DATE OF BIRTH= 1823-02-21
PLACE OF BIRTH= Brucefield, Dunfermline, Scotland
DATE OF DEATH= 1899-02-24
PLACE OF DEATH= Edinburgh, Scotland