Sir George Ballingall (2 May 1780 – 4 December 1855) was a Scottish physician and surgeon. He was

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of military surgery at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

Life

Ballingall was son of the Reverend Robert Ballingall, minister of Forglen,

Banffshire Banffshire (; ; ) is a historic county in Scotland. The county town is Banff, although the largest settlement is Buckie to the west. The historic county ceased to be used for local government purposes in 1975. Since 1996 the area has been spli ...

, where he was born. He studied at the

University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews (, ; abbreviated as St And in post-nominals) is a public university in St Andrews, Scotland. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, f ...

, going on to the University of Edinburgh where he passed his MD in 1803. While at the university, he was an assistant to John Barclay, lecturer on anatomy. He was appointed assistant-surgeon of the 2nd battalion 1st Royals in 1806, with which he served some years in India; in November 1815 he became surgeon of the

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, and retired on half-pay in 1818. In 1823 he was chosen, in preference to David Maclagan, as lecturer on Military Surgery at the University of Edinburgh, which then, and for some years afterwards, was the only place in the

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where special instruction was given in a department of surgical science, the importance of which had too plainly been demonstrated during the long war just ended. In 1821 he was elected to the

Aesculapian Club The Aesculapian Club of Edinburgh is one of the oldest medical dining clubs in the world. It was founded in April 1773 by Dr. Andrew Duncan. Membership of the club is limited to 11 Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and ...

. In 1821 Ballingall was also elected a member of the

Harveian Society of Edinburgh The Harveian Society of Edinburgh was founded in April 1782 by Andrew Duncan (physician, born 1744), Andrew Duncan. The Society holds an annual Festival in honour of the life and works of William Harvey, the physician who first correctly des ...

and served as President in 1824 and 1830. In 1825 Ballingall succeeded to the Chair of military surgery, the duties of which he discharged with untiring zeal for 30 years until his death. He was knighted in 1830 on the occasion of the accession of

King William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded hi ...

. In 1832-3 his address is recorded as 13 Heriot Row in Edinburgh. In 1836 he was elected President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. In 1840 he was living at 13 Heriot Row in Edinburgh's Second New Town.Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1840-41 He died at his estate at Blairgowrie on 4 December 1855.

Publications

Ballingall, who was a fellow of the

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and corresponding member of the

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, was author of various professional works, the most important being: *''Observations on the Diseases of European Troops in India'' *''Observations on the Site and Construction of Hospitals'' *''Outlines of Military Surgery'' The last, which is still regarded as an instructive work, went through five editions, the fifth appearing at the time of the Russian war, shortly before the Ballingall's death.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ballingall, George 1780 births 1855 deaths Academics of the University of Edinburgh 19th-century Scottish medical doctors People from Banffshire Alumni of the University of St Andrews Scottish surgeons Scottish knights Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Scottish medical writers Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Scottish antiquarians 33rd Regiment of Foot officers Royal Scots officers Académie Nationale de Médecine British Army regimental surgeons Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh 19th-century British Army personnel Presidents of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Office bearers of the Harveian Society of Edinburgh Members of the Harveian Society of Edinburgh Military personnel from Aberdeenshire Fellows_of_the_Society_of_Antiquaries_of_Scotland