Patrick Macgregor Explained

Sir Patrick Macgregor, 1st Baronet (30 June 1777 – 17 July 1828)^[1] was a Royal Physician appointed to King George IV's household.^{[2] [3]} He was succeeded in his position as Serjeant Surgeon after his death by Sir Astley Paston Cooper Bart.^[4]

Background

He was one of five sons of James Macgregor and Margaret (née Grant) of Inverness-shire, Scotland. He was created a baronet on 17 March 1828 a few months before his death in his long-term home area of Saville Row in London.^{[5] [6]} He was succeeded in his baronetcy by his eldest son William.^[7]

Macgregor married Bridget Glenny on 12 November 1806 at St George's, Bloomsbury, Middlesex.^{[8] [9] [10]} Bridget survived her husband dying in Brighton, Sussex on 20 July 1863. The couple had two sons (who would both succeed to the baronetcy) and four daughters.^[11]

His Contributions to Medicine

Macgregor was a Vice President of the College of Surgeons^[12] and a member of the Medical and Chirurgical Society of London. He was listed by the society as Surgeon to the Royal Military Asylum at Chelsea, Serjeant Surgeon to the King, Surgeon to His Royal Highness the Duke of York; and Assistant Surgeon to the Lock Hospital at Golden Square, Soho.^[13]

It was as the Surgeon at the Royal Military Asylum (first appointed in 1804) that Macgregor achieved some of his most effective contributions to medical science. The institution was home to up to a thousand children and communicable disease was commonplace and caused death and disability.^{[14] [15]} Macgregor was able through the study of diseases occurring amongst the children at the asylum to take action that effectively prevented transmission in some of the diseases, he was a great proponent of hygienic countermeasures.^[16]

Macgregor wrote in 1811 that 'Egyptian Ophthalmia' (Trachoma) in the army had: 'at different periods materially interfered with its discipline and efficiency. It has crippled many of our best regiments to such a degree as for a time to render them unfit for service'. The problem was exacerbated by lack of understanding of the nature of Trachoma, its causes and what could be done to combat the ailment.^[17] Macgregor had identified that contact with the patient's eye discharge was clearly the cause of transmission.

Notes and References

1. Book: Debrett's Baronetage of England: Containing an Account of All Existing English Baronets, with Alphabetical Lists of Such as Have Been Advanced to the Peerage, Or Whose Titles Have Become Extinct, Etc., ... . 1832 . J.G. and F. Rivington [and others] . 768 . 27 April 2020 . en.
2. Book: The Edinburgh Almanack, Or Universal Scots and Imperial Register, ... . 1828 . 161 . 27 April 2020 . Oliver & Boyd . en.
3. Book: The Royal Kalendar and Court and City Register for England, Scotland, Ireland and the Colonies: For the Year .... 1825 . 1825 . 119 . 27 April 2020 . W. March . en.
4. Book: Edinburgh Gazette . 19 August 1828 . Edinburgh . 1 . 27 April 2020.
5. Book: Burke . John . A General and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire . 1832 . H. Colburn and R. Bentley . 120 . 27 April 2020 . en.
6. Web site: Macgregor . Patrick . Person Page . www.thepeerage.com . 27 April 2020.
7. The Gentleman's Magazine . Sylvanus Urban . 1846 . 180 . Obituaries . 93 .
8. UK, British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960
9. London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932 Marriage
10. Book: The Annual Register: World Events .... 1828. - 1829 . 1829 . London . 247 . 27 April 2020 . en.
11. Book: Burke . John . A General and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire . 1832 . H. Colburn and R. Bentley . 120 . 27 April 2020 . en.
12. Book: London Medical Gazette: Or, Journal of Practical Medicine . 1828 . 256 . 27 April 2020 . en.
13. Book: MEDICO CHIRURGICAL TRANSACTIONS . 1819 . London . xiii . 2128968 . Second . 27 April 2020.
14. MacGregor . P. . Report of the principal natural diseases that have prevailed amongst the children of the Royal Military Asylum at Chelsea : from its first establishment in 1804, to the 1st of January, 1814, including a period of ten years, with some remarks thereon . 1814 . 27 April 2020 . London : Printed by G. Woodfall ....
15. Book: Macgregor . Patrick . Transactions of a Society for the Improvement of Medical and Chirurgical Knowledge . 1812 . 30–64 . 27 April 2020 . Johnson . en.
16. Cockerill . Art . Outbreak of Egyptian ophthalmia at the Royal Military Asylum, Chelsea, in 1804 . World Journal of Medical Research . 2014 . 3. 5 .
17. Bolton . Margaret . Frederick, Duke of York (1763–1827) – Medical Patron . Journal of Medical Biography . 2015 . 23 . 3 . 125–132. 10.1177/0967772015580736 . 26025844 . 46656937 .