Arthur Farre FRS (6 March 1811, in London – 17 December 1887, in London) was an English

obstetric Obstetrics is the field of study concentrated on pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. As a medical specialty, obstetrics is combined with gynecology under the discipline known as obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), which is a surgic ...

physician.

Life

Farre was born in London on 6 March 1811, to Dr. John Richard Farre. He was educated at

Charterhouse School Charterhouse is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Godalming, Surrey, England. Founded by Thomas Sutton in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian monastery in Charter ...

and

Caius College, Cambridge Gonville and Caius College, commonly known as Caius ( ), is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1348 by Edmund Gonville, it is the fourth-oldest of the University of Cambridge's 31 colleges an ...

. After studying medicine at

St. Bartholomew's Hospital St Bartholomew's Hospital, commonly known as Barts, is a teaching hospital located in the City of London. It was founded in 1123 by Rahere, and is currently run by Barts Health NHS Trust. History Early history Barts was founded in 1123 by Ra ...

, he graduated MB at Cambridge in 1833 and MD in 1841, and he became a fellow of the

Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians of London, commonly referred to simply as the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of ph ...

in 1843. From 1836 to 1837, he lectured on comparative anatomy at St Bartholomew's, and from 1838 to 1840 on forensic medicine. In 1841, Farre became professor of obstetric medicine at King's College and physician-accoucheur at King's College Hospital, serving in these roles until 1862. At the College of Physicians he was in succession censor, examiner, and councillor, and was Harveian orator in 1872. Farre served as examiner in

midwifery Midwifery is the health science and health profession that deals with pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period (including care of the newborn), in addition to the sexual and reproductive health of women throughout their lives. In many cou ...

at the

Royal College of Surgeons The Royal College of Surgeons is an ancient college (a form of corporation) established in England to regulate the activity of surgeons. Derivative organisations survive in many present and former members of the Commonwealth. These organisations ...

for twenty-four years (1852–1875). In 1875, he and two colleagues resigned their posts in protest of women being admitted to the college's examination in midwifery. They believed that women did not have adequate qualifications in medicine or surgery. Since no suitable successors were willing to be examiner, his effort was successful in the short term – though it encouraged parliamentary intervention, in the form of the Russell Gurney Act of 1876, which empowered licensing bodies to admit women for medical qualifications.G. T. Bettany, 'Farre, Arthur (1811–1887)’, rev. Susan Snoxall, ''

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from History of the British Isles, British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') ...

'', Oxford University Press, 2004 Farre was a successful fashionable obstetrician: he attended the Princess of Wales and other members of the royal family, and was made physician extraordinary to The Queen. On the death of

Sir Charles Locock Sir Charles Locock, 1st Baronet (21 April 1799 – 23 July 1875) was an obstetrician to Queen Victoria. He is also credited with the introduction of potassium bromide as a treatment for epilepsy. Biography Charles Locock was born to Henry Loco ...

in 1875, Farre was elected honorary president of the Obstetrical Society of London, to which he gave a collection of pelves and gynæcological casts. Farre died in London on 17 December 1887, and was buried at

Kensal Green Kensal Green, also known as Kensal Rise, is an area in north-west London, and along with Kensal Town, it forms part of the northern section of North Kensington, London, North Kensington. It lies north of the canal in the London Borough of Brent ...

on 22 December. He left no children, and his wife died before him.

Works

His main contribution to medical literature was his article on 'The Uterus and its Appendages,’ constituting parts 49 and 50 of

Robert Bentley Todd Robert Bentley Todd (9 April 1809 – 30 January 1860) was an Irish-born physician who is best known for describing the condition postictal paralysis in his Lumleian Lectures in 1849 now known as Todd's palsy. Early life The son of physici ...

's ''Cyclopædia of Anatomy and Physiology'', issued in 1858. He contributed papers on microscopy to the

Royal Microscopical Society The Royal Microscopical Society (RMS) is a learned society for the promotion of microscopy. It was founded in 1839 as the Microscopical Society of London making it the oldest organisation of its kind in the world. In 1866, the Society gained it ...

's ''Journal and Transactions'', and was president of the society from 1851 to 1852. An early microscopical paper of his, 'On the Minute Structure of some of the Higher Forms of Polypi' (''

Philosophical Transactions ''Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society'' is a scientific journal published by the Royal Society. In its earliest days, it was a private venture of the Royal Society's secretary. It was established in 1665, making it the second journ ...

'', 1837), secured his election to the

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

in 1839.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Farre, Arthur 1811 births 1887 deaths 19th-century English medical doctors Medical doctors from London People educated at Charterhouse School Alumni of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians Fellows of the Royal Society Fellows of the Royal Microscopical Society English medical writers 19th-century English non-fiction writers English obstetricians Burials at Kensal Green Cemetery Physician-accoucheurs