Dr. Alexander Munro, of Auchenbowie

1697 - 1767  (69 years)

• Name	Alexander Munro  [1]
  Prefix	Dr.
  Suffix	of Auchenbowie
  Born	19 Sep 1697	London, , Greater London, England   [2, 3]
  Gender	Male
  Died	10 Jul 1767  [2, 3]
  Person ID	I10548	Munro
  Last Modified	2 Apr 2009

  
  

  Father	Dr. John Monro,   b. 1670, , , Stirling, Scotland ,   d. 1740, , , , Scotland  (Age 70 years)
  Mother	Jean Forbes,   b. Abt 1674,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F3816	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Isabella MacDonald,   b. Abt 1699,   d. 10 Dec 1774  (Age ~ 75 years)
  Married	7 Oct 1725
  Children	+ 1. John Munro, Of Auchenbowie,   b. Abt 1726,   d. Yes, date unknown + 2. Donald Munro,   b. 1731, Edinburgh, , Midlothian, Scotland ,   d. Jul 1802  (Age 71 years) + 3. Dr. Alexander Monro, of Craiglockart,   b. 21 Mar 1733, Edinburgh, , Midlothian, Scotland ,   d. 2 Oct 1817  (Age 84 years)   4. Margaret Monro,   b. Abt 1735,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Last Modified	2 Mar 2009
  Family ID	F3818	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Alexander was the first professor of anatomy at Edinburgh from 1720. His wife was daughter of Sir Donald Macdonald of Sleat. He and Isabella had three daughters in addition to the two sons who are listed. Ref: The Munro Tree (1734) L/51 Ref: "The Munro Tree (1734)" by R. W. Munro - L/50 "...m Jean Forbes and had son Alexander..." Ref: "The Munro Tree (1734)" by R. W. Munro - L/51 "This was Alexander, first professor of anatomy in Edinburgh from 1720, m Isabella dr of Sir Donald of Sleat, and d 10 Jly 1767, leaving sons John (suc to Auchinbowie), Dr Donald, Alexander (professor secundus), and 3 drs." Ref: "History of the Munros of Fowlis" by A. Mackenzie - Inverness (1898) - p. 314-318 II. ALEXANDER MONRO, who was born in London on the 19th of September, 1697. He was educated at Edinburgh, and received the best education which that city was able to afford. He was afterwards sent by his father to London, where he attended the anatomical lectures of Dr Chalmers, and subsequently pursued his studies in Paris, and under the celebrated Boerhave, at Leyden. Returning to Edinburgh in the autumn of 1719, he was appointed Professor of Anatomy. In 1720, on the advice of his father, he delivered a series of public lectures on Anatomy; and Dr Alston, who had accompanied him to Leyden in 1716, also on the suggestion of Dr Alxander Monro's father, began a series of lectures on Materia Medica and botany. His father communicated to the physicians and surgeons of Edinburgh, as already indicated, a plan for having the different branches of physic and surgery regularly taught at Edinburgh; and by their interest Professorships of Anatomy and Medicine were instituted in the University of that city. To complete his scheme, subscriptions were solicited for the establishment of a hospital, and considerable sums were received, chiefly through the exertions of Lord Provost Drummond of Edinburgh, and Dr Alexander Monro, who wrote a powerful pamphlet pointing out the great advantages of such an institution. The result was the founding of the Royal Infirmary, Lord Provost Drummond and Dr Alexander Monro being appointed a committee to superintend its erection; and on it being opened, the latter delivered a series of clinical lectures in it for the benefit of the students. Thus was commenced at Edinburgh that regular course of instruction which obtained for the Medical School of that city the reputation of being the best in the world. Dr Monro was elected in 1721 the first Professor of Anatomy in the College of Edinburgh, but he was not received into the University until 1725, when he was inducted along with the celebrated mathematician Colin Maclaurin. He held the Professorship for 34 years, and was a F.R.C.P.E. and F.R.S.G.E. In 1726 appeared his "Osteology, or Treatise on the Anatomy of the Bones," which, during his life, passed through no fewer than eight editions, and was translated into several foreign languages. In the later editions he added a concise description of the Nerves, and of the Lacteal sac and Thoracic Duct. A society having been established at Edinburgh by the Professors and other practitioners of the city, for the collection of papers on professional subjects, Dr Alexander Monro was appointed secretary, and under his active superintendence six volumes of "Medical Essays" were soon published, the first of which appeared in 1732. Of the papers in this collection many of the most valuable were written by Dr Monro, dealing with anatomical, physiological, and practical subjects. When the society afterwards extended its membership to gentlemen eminent in literature, philosophical as well as medical papers were received. Dr Alexander Monro was appointed one of the Vice-Presidents, and furnished several valuable contributions to the two volumes, entitled "Essays--Physical and Literary," of its Memoirs, published by the Society. In 1759 he resigned the anatomical chair to his yhoungest son, Dr Alexander Monro Secundus, so styled to distinguish him from his father, who was always designated Primus, but the father still continued his clinical lectures at the Infirmary. He published in all fifty-two works on medical science, among which are -- "Osteology, or a Treatise on the Anatomy of the Bones," 1726; "Essay on Comparative Anatomy," 1744; "Essay on the Art of Injecting the Vessels of Animals," 1731; "Essay on the Articulation, Muscles, and Luxation of the Lower Jaw," 1731; "Improvements in Performing the Operation of the Paracentesis, or Tapping of the Belly," 1731; "Observations--Anatomical and Physiological, wherein Dr Hunter's Claim to some Discoveries is examined," 1758; "Account of the Inoculation of Smallpox in Scotland," 1765; "Remarks on Chalybeate Waters," 1731; "Histories of the Cure of Lymphatics Opened in Wounds," 1736; "Histories of Succesful Indulgence of Bad Habits in Patients," 1736; and "Proofs of the Contiguity of the Lungs and the Pleura," 1756. A collected edition of his works, including several essays left in manuscript, was published by his third son, Dr Alexander (Secundus), at Edinburgh, in 1781, with a life written by his second son, Dr Donald Monro, prefixed. He married on the 7th of October, 1725, Isabella, third daughter of Sir Donald Macdonald, eleventh Baron, and fourth Baronet of Sleat, known among the Highlanders as "Domhnull a' Chogaidh," or "Donald of the Wars," because of the conspicuous part he took at Killiecrankie under Dundee, and afterwards under the Earl of Mar in the Rising of 1715, for which he was attainted, with issue, who arrived at maturity-- 1. John, his heir and successor... Dr Alexander Monro, "Primus", died on the 10th of July, 1767; his widow surviving him until the 10th of December, 1774. He was succeeded by his eldest son, III. John Monro... ********** The following is a transcription of RW "Billy" Munro's genealogy notes: [Alexander Monro II] «i»Third & youngest son of Professor Alexander Monro (primus) 1697-1767, was born Edinburgh 10 or 20 May, 1733; as "secundus" admitted conjunct professor of Anatomy with father 1754; MD Edinburgh 1755, took over work of professorship 1758-1759 and discharged it unaided for 40 years. His son Alexander(tertius) becoming colleague in 1798, resigned 1808, bought Craiglockhart 1773 & Cockburn 1783, mentioned in Foulis entail, 1776; died 2 October, 1817, having married 1762 Katherine Inglis with issue Alexander (tertius) & David (1776-1843 Dictionary of National Biography, Inglis pp 89-110; Mackenzie pp 322-328, 144 entail; Murray Annals of Colinton; J. Grego, "Rowlanson the Caricaturist" I 124; RW Innes Smith "English Spaking Students of Medicine at the University of Leyden' (1932), p 162; J P Munroe 38-39; RE Wright St. Clair "Doctors Monro' pp 69-95; Scots Magazine (1762) 507; Gents Magazine 1988 i 493, 1754; A. Wight "Present State of Husbandry in Scotland", III (ii) 452; Highland Society of Scotland, 'Prize Essays of Scotland (2nd edition 1812), I (ii) plxxiii «/i»********** Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA [1, 3]

  
  

• Sources

  [S633] Clan Munro files - Monroe, William L., Jr., William L. Monroe, Jr., The Munros - From the Carolinas - by Bill Monroe - p. 5 (Reliability: 3). [S668] RW Munro's Genealogy Database, Robert William Munro, (The collected genealogy notes of RW Munro, Hon. Historian of Clan Munro (Association) edited by Dr. Jean Munro, transcribed by Charles C. Munroe, III and others. Transcription completed Jan 2009. Original card file is kept at the "Storehouse of Foulis" near Foulis Castle in Scotland.), card 52 (Reliability: 3). [S668] RW Munro's Genealogy Database, Robert William Munro, (The collected genealogy notes of RW Munro, Hon. Historian of Clan Munro (Association) edited by Dr. Jean Munro, transcribed by Charles C. Munroe, III and others. Transcription completed Jan 2009. Original card file is kept at the "Storehouse of Foulis" near Foulis Castle in Scotland.), card 61 (Reliability: 3).