Medical theses. Dr. Andrew Duncan (1744-1828), also known as Andrew Duncan the Elder, was a Professor of the University of Edinburgh and a leading figure in the Edinburgh medical world. He founded a public dispensary, an institution for giving free medicines and medical advice to the poor. This afterwards became the Royal Public Dispensary. Moved by the tragic death of the poet Robert Fergusson (1750-1774), Duncan was instrumental in the foundation of the Edinburgh Lunatic Asylum, which was built in 1807. This is a collection of over 1,900 medical theses, mostly presented to Duncan by grateful students. It has recently been reconstructed and is fully catalogued online. All the theses have shelfmarks starting “Duncan.” This is just a small part of the University’s vast collection of medical theses which continues to grow today. The manuscript collection includes numerous lecture notes and correspondence, at various locations. This article was published on 2024-08-21
