Alexander Ogston

Infobox_Scientist
name = Alexander Ogston

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image_width = 300px
caption = Alexander Ogston
birth_date = 1844
birth_place = Aberdeen, Scotland
death_date = 1929
death_place = Aberdeen, Scotland
residence =
nationality =
field = Surgery/Bacteriology
work_institution = Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
alma_mater = University of Aberdeen
doctoral_advisor =
doctoral_students =
known_for = The discovery of "Staphylococcus aureus"
prizes =
religion = Sir Alexander Ogston KCVO MB CM MD was a Scottish surgeon, famous for his discovery of "Staphylococcus aureus". He was born in Aberdeen in 1844 and died there in 1929.cite journal | author=Smith G | title=Alexander Ogston (1844-1929) | journal=British Journal of Surgery | year=1965 | pages=917–20 | volume=52 | issue=12 | pmid=5322135 | doi=10.1002/bjs.1800521203 ]

University of Aberdeen

Ogston began his medical training at Marischal College in 1862 and graduated in 1865 with honours in medicine and surgery. He obtained his MD a year later in 1866. He was Assistant Professor of Medical Jurisprudence and Materia Medica, Lecturer in Ophthalmology and Anaesthetist before being appointed as Regius Professor of Surgery in 1882.cite journal | author=Lyell A | title=Alexander Ogston, micrococci, and Joseph Lister | journal=Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology | year=1989 | pages=302–10 | volume=20 | issue=2 pt 1 | pmid=2644319 ] He is credited with introducing the carbolic spray to Aberdeen.cite journal | author=Pennington TH | title=The Lister steam spray in Aberdeen | journal=Scottish Medical Journal | year=1988 | pages=217–18 | volume=33 | issue=1 | pmid=3291113 ]

"Staphylococcus aureus"

During his undergraduate studies, Ogston had learnt of Louis Pasteur's experiments with microorganisms and had observed first-hand Joseph Lister's use of carbolic acid as an antiseptic. Ogston postulated that abscess formation was caused by a microrganism. He viewed pus under a microscope and observed chains and bunches of cocci. When the pus was introduced into experimental subjects, an abscess developed, containing the same cocci that could be demonstrated in the original abscess.The chains of cocci had already been identified and named Streptococci — Ogston therefore named the bunches he observed Staphylococci after the Greek word "staphyle", meaning "bunch of grapes". Due to their golden colour, he named the organism he observed "Staphylococcus aureus".cite journal | author=Ogston A | title=“On Abscesses”. Classics in Infectious Diseases | journal=Reviews of Infectious Diseases | year=1984 | pages=122–28 | volume=6 | issue=1 | pmid=6369479 ]

Military career

Ogston served in the 1884 Egyptian War and the Boer War. He was also instrumental in arguing for the creation of the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1898. During the First World War when over seventy years old, he was sent to assist with the management of severe trauma.cite journal | author=Adam A | title=Alexander Ogston and the Army Medical Services formation of the Royal Army Medical Corps 1 July 1898 | journal=Scottish Medical Journal | year=1998 | pages=156–57 | volume=43 | issue=5 | pmid=9854306 ]

Royal acknowledgement

In 1892, Queen Victoria appointed him Surgeon in Ordinary, a post he also held under King Edward VII and King George V. He was appointed "Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order" in 1912.

Legacy

The Surgical Society of the University of Aberdeen is named the "Ogston Society" in his honour. [cite web|publisher=Ogston Society|title=Sir Alexander Ogston|url=http://www.ogston.org.uk] The University Department of Surgery also awards an annual prize in his honour to the best student in surgery. [cite web|publisher=University of Aberdeen|title=Endowed Prizes and Medals|url=http://www.abdn.ac.uk/registry/prizes.shtml|accessdate=2007-02-22]

References