Donald MacAlister
Encyclopedia
Sir Donald MacAlister, 1st Baronet KCB
(17 May 1854–15 January 1934) was a physician, and Principal and Vice-Chancellor
and, later, Chancellor
of the University of Glasgow
.
, a native speaker of Gaelic. He rose in life from humble beginnings via school at the Liverpool Institute for Boys
(founded 1825, closed 1985) to achieve the highest score in the final mathematics examinations at the University of Cambridge
in 1877. In November 1877, he was elected a Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge.
and contains what is now called the log-normal distribution.
After a spell teaching mathematics at Harrow School
, MacAlister returned to his original intention of studying medicine, first at Cambridge, later in 1879 at St. Bartholomew's Hospital
, and for a short time at Leipzig
. In 1881, he settled in Cambridge, and took up medical teaching, investigation, and practice, and in 1884, when he graduated M.D., became physician to Addenbrooke's Hospital
. He was elected Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
in 1886.
In addition to his great talent in mathematics and his accomplishments in medicine, MacAlister was also an extraordinary linguist. His native tongue was Gaelic and he is said to have spoken well German, Norse, French, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Czech, Basque, Turkish, Greek, Arabic, Swedish, Russian, Serbian, Afrikaans and Romany, i.e. nineteen languages including English.
MacAlister was a contemporary at St. John's of the first Japanese graduate of Cambridge named Kikuchi Dairoku
and they were lifelong friends. MacAlister also assisted Inagaki Manjiro
with a petition to the Council of the Senate to allow Japanese students to obtain exemption from the study of Latin and Greek for entrance examinations.
MacAlister played a very important part in the work of the General Medical Council (GMC)
. He was elected to it in 1889 as representative of Cambridge University and became its president in 1904. In 1931, after an unbroken twenty-seven years in office, he stood down on grounds of ill health.
In 1907, MacAlister was appointed Principal of the University of Glasgow
, a position from which he retired in 1929. During those years, the University grew substantially. Upon his resignation, he was elected Chancellor
of the University by the General Council
.
MacAlister took a leading part in the university business of the country. He was one of the founders of the Universities Bureau of the British Empire
, and was for many years Chairman of the Standing Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the British universities.
MacAlister's work was widely recognised; he received honorary doctorates from thirteen universities and was appointed KCB
in 1908 and created a baronet
, of Tarbert, Cantire, in the County of Argyll, in 1924.
Sir MacAlister for the first time gave definition of professional misconduct of medical men which was not improved upon to this day and is accepted all over world
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(17 May 1854–15 January 1934) was a physician, and Principal and Vice-Chancellor
Principal of the University of Glasgow
The Principal of the University of Glasgow is the working head of the University, acting as its chief executive. He is responsible for the day-to-day management of the University as well as its strategic planning and administration. The Principal is appointed by the University Court and is...
and, later, Chancellor
Chancellor of the University of Glasgow
The Chancellor is the titular head of the University of Glasgow and President of the General Council, by whom he is elected. The office is intended to be held for life. His principal duty is to confer degrees upon those presented to him by the Senate, although this role is usually carried out by...
of the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
.
Early life
Donald MacAlister was born in Perth, ScotlandPerth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
, a native speaker of Gaelic. He rose in life from humble beginnings via school at the Liverpool Institute for Boys
Liverpool Institute for Boys
The Liverpool Institute High School for Boys was an all-boys grammar school in the English port city of Liverpool.The school had its origins in 1825 but occupied different premises while the money was found to build a dedicated building on Mount Street. The Institute was first known as the...
(founded 1825, closed 1985) to achieve the highest score in the final mathematics examinations at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in 1877. In November 1877, he was elected a Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge.
Academic career
MacAlister remained a fellow of St. John's College until the end of his life, and was senior tutor from 1900 to 1904. In 1879, he published a paper in the Proceedings of the Royal Society on "The Law of the Geometric Mean." The work was in response to a question put by Francis GaltonFrancis Galton
Sir Francis Galton /ˈfrɑːnsɪs ˈgɔːltn̩/ FRS , cousin of Douglas Strutt Galton, half-cousin of Charles Darwin, was an English Victorian polymath: anthropologist, eugenicist, tropical explorer, geographer, inventor, meteorologist, proto-geneticist, psychometrician, and statistician...
and contains what is now called the log-normal distribution.
After a spell teaching mathematics at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
, MacAlister returned to his original intention of studying medicine, first at Cambridge, later in 1879 at St. Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, also known as Barts, is a hospital in Smithfield in the City of London, England.-Early history:It was founded in 1123 by Raherus or Rahere , a favourite courtier of King Henry I...
, and for a short time at Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
. In 1881, he settled in Cambridge, and took up medical teaching, investigation, and practice, and in 1884, when he graduated M.D., became physician to Addenbrooke's Hospital
Addenbrooke's Hospital
Addenbrooke's Hospital is an internationally renowned teaching hospital in Cambridge, England, with strong links to the University of Cambridge. It was founded in 1766 on Trumpington Street with £4,500 from the will of Dr John Addenbrooke, a fellow of St Catharine's College...
. He was elected Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
in 1886.
In addition to his great talent in mathematics and his accomplishments in medicine, MacAlister was also an extraordinary linguist. His native tongue was Gaelic and he is said to have spoken well German, Norse, French, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Czech, Basque, Turkish, Greek, Arabic, Swedish, Russian, Serbian, Afrikaans and Romany, i.e. nineteen languages including English.
MacAlister was a contemporary at St. John's of the first Japanese graduate of Cambridge named Kikuchi Dairoku
Kikuchi Dairoku
Baron was a mathematician, educator, and educational administrator in Meiji period Japan.-Kikuchi's life and career:Kikuchi was born in Edo , as the second son of Mitsukuri Shuhei...
and they were lifelong friends. MacAlister also assisted Inagaki Manjiro
Inagaki Manjiro
was a Japanese diplomat and political theorist that was active during the Meiji period of Japan.- Early life :Inagaki was born in Nagasaki, as the son of a samurai of the Hirado Domain...
with a petition to the Council of the Senate to allow Japanese students to obtain exemption from the study of Latin and Greek for entrance examinations.
MacAlister played a very important part in the work of the General Medical Council (GMC)
General Medical Council
The General Medical Council registers and regulates doctors practising in the United Kingdom. It has the power to revoke or restrict a doctor's registration if it deems them unfit to practise...
. He was elected to it in 1889 as representative of Cambridge University and became its president in 1904. In 1931, after an unbroken twenty-seven years in office, he stood down on grounds of ill health.
In 1907, MacAlister was appointed Principal of the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, a position from which he retired in 1929. During those years, the University grew substantially. Upon his resignation, he was elected Chancellor
Chancellor of the University of Glasgow
The Chancellor is the titular head of the University of Glasgow and President of the General Council, by whom he is elected. The office is intended to be held for life. His principal duty is to confer degrees upon those presented to him by the Senate, although this role is usually carried out by...
of the University by the General Council
General Council (Scottish university)
The General Council of an ancient university in Scotland is the corporate body of all graduates and senior academics of each university. They were instituted by the Universities Act 1858, but each has had its constitution and organisation considerably altered by subsequent statutes.The Act of...
.
MacAlister took a leading part in the university business of the country. He was one of the founders of the Universities Bureau of the British Empire
Association of Commonwealth Universities
The Association of Commonwealth Universities represents over 480 universities from Commonwealth countries.- History :In 1912, the University of London took the initiative to assemble 53 representatives of universities in London to hold a Congress of Universities of the Empire...
, and was for many years Chairman of the Standing Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the British universities.
MacAlister's work was widely recognised; he received honorary doctorates from thirteen universities and was appointed KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
in 1908 and created a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
, of Tarbert, Cantire, in the County of Argyll, in 1924.
Works
- Introductory Address on the General Medical Council (lecture, 1906)
See also
- Japanese students in Britain
Sir MacAlister for the first time gave definition of professional misconduct of medical men which was not improved upon to this day and is accepted all over world