James McGrigor

Sir James McGrigor, 1st Baronet, KCB, FRS, FRSE, FRCPE (9 April 1771 – 2 April 1858) was a Scottish physician, military surgeon and botanist, considered to be the man largely responsible for the creation of the Royal Army Medical Corps. He served as Rector of the University of Aberdeen.

McGrigor's father, Colquhoun, was a clothing merchant from Aberdeen. McGrigor was born in Cromdale, Inverness-shire, and educated at Aberdeen Grammar School for five years, and graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 1788. Although his degree was notionally 'Master of Arts', it included some chemistry and biology, which inspired him to consider medicine as a career. He received medical training at the University of Edinburgh beginning in September 1789. He received his MD degree while he was in London at the end of 1799 or the beginning of the following year.

McGrigor joined the army as a surgeon in 1793, having purchased a commission in the Connaught Rangers, known at that time as the 88th Regiment of Foot, for £150. In February 1794, he was successfully examined for Membership of the Company of Surgeons of London.

The Rangers assembled at Chatham, Kent docks early in 1794, before sailing to Holland via Jersey, in order to support Dutch forces against the French. McGrigor was one of those aboard who contracted Typhus. He recovered sufficiently to organise the construction of a hospital facility in a converted local church, before he was sent back to the UK following a second bout of illness, whereupon he was promoted and given greater responsibilities.

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