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Motion · S5M-21418 · 8 Apr 2020

150th Anniversary of the Death of James Young Simpson

Lodged by Kenneth Gibson (No Party Affiliation) Standard Motion 16 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament commemorates the 150th anniversary of the death of the Scottish obstetrician, James Young Simpson, who was born in Bathgate in 1811 and died on 6 May 1870; understands that Young originally began an arts degree at the University of Edinburgh at the age of only 14, before transferring to medicine two years later; notes that, following his studies, Young immediately started lecturing in the pathology department and, in 1835, he was made President of the Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh before being appointed to the chair of obstetrics at the University of Edinburgh in 1839, at the age of just 28, as well as running his own thriving medical practice; acknowledges that Young was the first physician to demonstrate the anaesthetic properties of chloroform on humans and helped to popularise the drug's use in medicine; recognises that the ability to anaesthetise patients revolutionised surgery in the 19th century, and believes that this anniversary should be used to celebrate and recognise the vital impact of the influential Scot on medicine the world over.

Supporters (16)

Source: the Scottish Parliament motions and amendments record.