James Douglas (physician)
Encyclopedia
James Douglas was a Scottish physician and anatomist, and Physician Extraordinary to Queen Caroline
.
One of the seven sons of William Douglas (d. 1705) and his wife, Joan, daughter of James Mason of Park, Blantyre, he was born in West Calder
, West Lothian
, in 1675. His brother was the well-known lithotomist
John Douglas
(died 1759).
In 1694 he graduated MA from the University of Edinburgh
and then took his medical doctorate at Reims
before going to London
in 1700.
He worked as an obstetrician, and gaining a great reputation as a physician, was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1706, FCP
in 1721.
One of the most respected anatomists in the country, Douglas was also a well-known man-midwife. He was asked to investigate the case of Mary Toft, an English woman from Godalming, Surrey, who in 1726 became the subject of considerable controversy when she tricked doctors into believing that she had given birth to rabbits. Despite his early scepticism (Douglas thought that a woman giving birth to rabbits was as likely as a rabbit giving birth to a human child), Douglas went to see Toft, and subsequently exposed her as a fraud.
Douglas practiced midwifery and performed public dissections at home.
Douglas mentored and befriended anatomist and surgeon William Hunter
(1718–1783), who he met in 1740 when Hunter came to London.
Hunter would live in the Douglas household and remained there after Douglas died in London on April 2, 1742, leaving a widow and two children.
As a result of Douglas's investigations of female pelvic anatomy, several anatonomical terms bear his name.
Douglas pouch
Douglasitis
Douglas abscess
Douglas fold
Douglas line
Douglas septum
Caroline of Ansbach
Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach was the queen consort of King George II of Great Britain.Her father, John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, was the ruler of a small German state...
.
One of the seven sons of William Douglas (d. 1705) and his wife, Joan, daughter of James Mason of Park, Blantyre, he was born in West Calder
West Calder
West Calder is a village in West Lothian, Scotland, located 4 miles west of Livingston. The village was an important centre for the oil shale economy in the 19th and 20th Centuries. West Calder has its own railway station. It is also has the most northerly centre of the Dogs Trust, closely followed...
, West Lothian
West Lothian
West Lothian is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire....
, in 1675. His brother was the well-known lithotomist
Lithotomy
Lithotomy from Greek for "lithos" and "tomos" , is a surgical method for removal of calculi, stones formed inside certain hollow organs, such as the kidneys , bladder , and gallbladder , that cannot exit naturally through the urinary system or biliary tract...
John Douglas
John Douglas (lithotomist)
John Douglas, an eminent lithotomist, one of the seven sons of William Douglas and his wife, Joan, daughter of James Mason of Park, Blantyre, and brother of Dr James Douglas, physician to the Queen...
(died 1759).
In 1694 he graduated MA from the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
and then took his medical doctorate at Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
before going to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1700.
He worked as an obstetrician, and gaining a great reputation as a physician, was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1706, FCP
Fcp
FCP may stand for several things:* Fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacology* Fonds commun de placement, a European collective investment scheme* Fibre Channel Protocol* Fonline Character Planner...
in 1721.
One of the most respected anatomists in the country, Douglas was also a well-known man-midwife. He was asked to investigate the case of Mary Toft, an English woman from Godalming, Surrey, who in 1726 became the subject of considerable controversy when she tricked doctors into believing that she had given birth to rabbits. Despite his early scepticism (Douglas thought that a woman giving birth to rabbits was as likely as a rabbit giving birth to a human child), Douglas went to see Toft, and subsequently exposed her as a fraud.
Douglas practiced midwifery and performed public dissections at home.
Douglas mentored and befriended anatomist and surgeon William Hunter
William Hunter (anatomist)
William Hunter FRS was a Scottish anatomist and physician. He was a leading teacher of anatomy, and the outstanding obstetrician of his day...
(1718–1783), who he met in 1740 when Hunter came to London.
Hunter would live in the Douglas household and remained there after Douglas died in London on April 2, 1742, leaving a widow and two children.
As a result of Douglas's investigations of female pelvic anatomy, several anatonomical terms bear his name.
Douglas pouch
Pouch of Douglas
The rectouterine pouch is the extension of the peritoneal cavity between the rectum and back wall of the uterus in the female human body....
- Peritoneal space formed by deflection of the peritoneumPeritoneumThe peritoneum is the serous membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity or the coelom — it covers most of the intra-abdominal organs — in amniotes and some invertebrates...
.
Douglasitis
- Inflammation of Douglas pouch.
Douglas abscess
- Suppuration in Douglas pouch, most often seen in appendicitisAppendicitisAppendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
or adnexitis.
Douglas fold
- A fold of peritoneum forming the lateral boundary of Douglas' pouch.
Douglas line
- The arcuate line of the sheath of the rectus abdominis muscle.
Douglas septum
- The septumSeptumIn anatomy, a septum is a wall, dividing a cavity or structure into smaller ones.-In human anatomy:...
formed by the union of Rathke's folds, forming the rectumRectumThe rectum is the final straight portion of the large intestine in some mammals, and the gut in others, terminating in the anus. The human rectum is about 12 cm long...
of the fetusFetusA fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth.In humans, the fetal stage of prenatal development starts at the beginning of the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization.-Etymology and spelling variations:The...
.