Regius Professor of Physic (Dublin) explained

The Regius Professorship of Physic is a Regius Professorship in Medicine at Trinity College Dublin. The seat dates from at least 1637, placing it amongst the oldest academic posts at the university.^[1] Mention is made in the college's Register for 1598 of an annual grant of £40 from the government for a "Physitian's pay"; this is sometimes held to be the provision made for the Chair of Physic, but it is possible that it may have been in granted for medical services required by the troops stationed in Dublin.^[2]

By 1700, the chair was considered part of the senior academic staff, alongside the Provost and Fellows (the professorships in other subjects being confined to Fellows at that time).^[3]

Regius Professors of Physic

• 1: John Stearne (1656–1659, 1662–1669)^[4]
• 2: John Margetson (1670-1674) ^{[5] [4] [6]}
• 3: Ralph Howard (1674–1710)^[4]
• 4: Richard Steevens (1710-1710)^[4]
• 5: Thomas Molyneux (1711–1733)^[4]
• 6: Richard Helsham (1733–1738)^[4]
• 7: Henry Cope (1738-1742/3)^[4]
• 8: Francis Foreside (1742/3-1745)^[4]
• 9: Bryan Robinson (1745–1754)^[4]
• 10: Edward Barry (1754–1761)^[4]
• 11: William Clement (1761–1781)^[4]
• 12: Edward Hill (1781–1830)^[4]
• 13: Whitley Stokes (1830–1840)^[4]
• 14: William Stokes (1840–1878)^[4]
• 15: Alfred Hudson (1878–1880)^[4]
• 16: John Thomas Banks (1880–1898)^[4]
• 17: James Little (1898–1916)^{[4] [7]}
• 18: John Mallet Purser (1917–1925)^[8]
• 19: Thomas Gillman Moorhead (1925–1956)^{[6] [9]}
• 20: Victor Synge (1956–1972)^{[6] [10]}
• 21: Peter Gatenby (1975-1977)^[6]
• 22: Donald Weir (1977-2000)^[6]
• 23: Owen Smith (2014-2020)^[11]
• 24: Rose Anne Kenny (2022–present)^[12]

Notes

1. Book: Cullen , M.J. . R. Dudley Edwards . University Education in Ireland . Irish Federation of University Teachers . 1974 . Dublin . 16 . 26327812.
2. Book: Dixon , William Macneile . William Macneile Dixon . College Histories . Trinity College, Dublin . F.E. Robinson & Co . 1902 . London . 2572402 . 2010-01-05 . 144–149.
3. Book: Luce , John V. . John V. Luce . Trinity College Dublin: The First 400 Years . . 1992 . Dublin . Trinity in the age of reason 1717-1794 . 46 . 1-871408-06-7 . 26894343.
4. Book: Kirkpatrick , T. Percy C. . History of the Medical Teaching in Trinity College Dublin and of the School of Physic in Ireland . Hanna and Neale . 1912 . Dublin . 350–351 . 4586470.
5. Kirkpatrick (1912) gives Margetson's forename as "Thomas".
6. Book: Gatenby , Peter . The School of Physic, Trinity College, Dublin: A Retrospective View . Faculty of Health Sciences, Trinity College Dublin . 1994 . Dublin . 71 . 36662694 . 0952420902.
7. 6 January 1917 . W.G.S. . James Little, M.D.Edin., M.D. (Hon. Causâ) Dubl., LL.D. (Hon. Causâ) Edin., Fellow And Ex-President Royal College Physicians In Ireland; Honorary Physician-In-Ordinary To H.M. The King In Ireland; Regius Professor Of Physic In The University Of Dublin . The British Medical Journal . 1 . 2923 . 34–35 . 20306183 . 10.1136/bmj.1.2923.34. 2347815 .
8. April 2001 . Peter Gatenby . Peter Gatenby (doctor) . John Mallet Purser (1839–1929) . . Springer London . 170 . 2 . 141–143 . 10.1007/BF03168828 . 11491051 . 5200667 . 0021-1265.
9. 13 August 1960 . W.D. . T. G. Moorhead, M.D., LL.D., F.R.C.P., F.R.C.P.I. . The British Medical Journal . 2 . 5197 . 542–543 . 25392544 . 10.1136/bmj.2.5203.953-a. 2098111 .
10. "Obituary notices", British Medical Journal, 10 July 1976, p.118
11. Web site: Owen Patrick Smith becomes new Regius Professor of Physic (1637). 21 July 2014.
12. Web site: Rose Anne Kenny appointed Regius Professor of Physic (1637) at Trinity - the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) - Trinity College Dublin .