Thomas Copeland

Thomas Copeland (1781 – 19 November 1855) was an eminent British surgeon.

Copeland, son of the Rev. William Copeland, curate of Byfield, Northamptonshire (1747–1787), was born in May 1781, studied under Mr. Denham at Chigwell in Essex, and in London under Edward Ford, his maternal uncle. He afterwards attended the medical classes at Great Windmill Street School and at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. On 6 July 1804, he was admitted a member of the Royal College of Surgeons, and on the 14th of the same month was appointed an assistant surgeon in the 1st Foot Guards. He embarked with his regiment for Spain under Sir John Moore, and was present at the battle of Corunna in 1809.

On his return to England and retirement from the army, finding that his uncle was declining practice, Copeland occupied his residence, 4 Golden Square, and having been appointed surgeon to the Westminster General Dispensary, he at once entered into a large connection, chiefly among the aristocracy.

In 1810 he brought out Observations on the Diseases of the Hip-joint, by E. Ford; edited and revised with additions, by T. Copeland. In the same year he published Observations on some of the principal Diseases of the Rectum, a work which ran to three editions. His new and scientific treatment of these diseases established his reputation and fairly earned for him the distinction of being the founder of rectum surgery. As a consulting surgeon in this class of maladies his opinion in the west end of London was in much request. He was the first to suggest the removal of the septum narium by means of an ingeniously contrived pair of forceps, in cases where its oblique position obstructed the passage of air through the nostrils.

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