| Administrative History | Sir Alexander Ogston (1844 - 1929), surgeon and bacteriologist, was born at Ogston's Court, 84 Broad Street, Aberdeen, on 19 April 1844, the elder son of Francis Ogston (bap. 1803, d. 1887), physician and professor of medical jurisprudence at Aberdeen University. Ogston attended Marischal College, Aberdeen (1859 – 1865), where he graduated MB CM in 1865 and MD in 1866.
Ogston was senior surgeon at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary from 1880 until his resignation in 1898, when he became consulting surgeon. Following the retirement of Professor William Pirrie (bap. 1807, d. 1882) in 1882, Ogston became regius professor of surgery at Aberdeen University (1882 - 1909).
Ogston was influenced by and believed in Lister's (Joseph Lister, Baron Lister (1827 – 1912), surgeon and founder of a system of antiseptic surgery) methods.
Ogston also took a keen interest in military surgery. In 1885 he set out for Egypt to take part in the war of 1884 – 1885. After service on the hospital ship 'Ganges' he joined the first bearer company and worked with the wounded at Hasheen and Suakin. Ogston was awarded the Egyptian campaign medal and the khedive's bronze star. After his return home, Ogston in 1887 took advantage of being vice - president of the surgical section of the British Medical Association to deliver a thorough criticism of the conditions faced in Egypt by the British forces, especially the deficiencies in medical care. His criticisms so offended some sections of the medical establishment that he was not allowed access to the theatre of war in South Africa in 1899 – 1900, forcing him to appeal directly to Queen Victoria to intercede on his behalf. During his seven months in South Africa, Ogston was cold - shouldered by some of the medical authorities but was well treated by the military. However, his recommendations made after the Egyptian campaign were yet to have any significant effects.
Cited from Ogston, Alexander G., ‘Ogston, Sir Alexander (1844 – 1929)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/38344, accessed 29 Nov 2005], where further details about Ogston can be found. |
| Custodial History | The collection was transferred to the Library in 1985. Ogston's papers were originally catalogued with the Department of Surgery material under the reference MSU 1095. In 2006, the whole collection was re-catalogued and Ogston's papers listed under the new reference MS 3760. Details of previous reference numbers for items in these collections are recorded in the 'AltRefNo' fields of each new catalogue entry. |
| Description | Complete set of Ogston's teaching notes for 'Surgery class' (1885 - ?1887) and 'Operative surgery' (1883). Also contains the complete set of 'Surgery' teaching notes, which appears to be the amalgamation of Ogston's surgery and operative surgery classes for the period 1895 - ?1897. In addition, the collection includes Ogston's general medical teaching notes (1882 - 1886), and his undated notebook listing the various medical texts & articles he used in his teachings. ?The volumes cover a later period, 1887 - 1909, which indicates the repeated delivery of the classes.
While the surgery class teaching notes refer to the symptoms, nature & treatment of various inflictions requiring surgery, operative surgery relates more to operative methods and procedures. Ogston's general medical teaching notes are similar to surgery class notes and have been scored out, suggesting that they were superceded by later ones. Much of Ogston's notes include small illustrations & sketches of various instruments and body parts.
Moreover, although the surgery series and general medical notes include similar information to surgery class & operative surgery, they do contain additional information: medical advertisements & relevant newspaper clippings, and laryngscopy & ophthalmoscopy.
Obviously, Ogston's teaching notes are important in relation to various aspects of nineteenth - century surgery & medicine; for instance, volume II of surgery class contains notes relating to the diagnosis,"railroad spine", which was a controversial issue in Britain during that period. Please see MS 3760/1/2 for further details.
In addition, volume VI of surgery class and the second volume of general medical notes contain notes relating to contemporary military surgery.
'Operative surgery' includes a copy of 'An Act for Regulating Schools of Anatomy [1st August, 1832]' and a copy of the 'Aberdeen Parochial Burying - House or Funeratory', dated 16 January 1883. There are also drawings relating to methods of plastic surgery (taken from Konig).
Notes in the surgery volumes point to the introduction of radiography and its acceptance & use in surgery during the late nineteenth - century. Surgery volume number 7 contains an 'Operative Blank', which was a form filled in by a surgeon on behalf of a patient requiring surgery.
In addition to nineteenth - century surgery & medicine, Ogston's notes relate to other issues, including methods of teaching of surgery [please see MS 3760/1, 2 & 4 for further details] and issues relating to European armaments [please see MS 3760/3/1]. |