Sir alexander crichton biography

​CRICHTON, Sir ALEXANDER (1763–1856), physician, second son of Alexander Crichton of Woodhouselee and Newington in Midlothian, was born in Edinburgh 2 Dec.

1763. He was educated in his native city, and at an early age apprenticed to Alexander Wood, surgeon, Edinburgh. In 1784 he came to London, and in the summer of the following year, passing over to Leyden, proceeded doctor of medicine there 29 July 1785.

After studying at Paris, Stuttgard, Vienna, and Halle, he returned to England, and in May 1789, after becoming a member of the Corporation of Surgeons, he commenced business as a surgeon in London; but, disliking the operative part of his profession, he got himself disfranchised 1 May 1791, and was admitted a licentiate of the College of Physicians on 25 June.

He was elected physician to the Westminster Hospital in 1794, and during his connection with that institution lectured on chemistry, materia medica,