He was educated at Westminster School, and at the age of sixteen was made apprentice to Sir William Lawrence, one of the surgeons to St. Bartholomew's Hospital.

Shortly after he received leave from the governors of the hospital to be absent as civil surgeon in charge of the wounded from the Crimean war at Smyrna.

After his return he published ‘A Report on some of the more important Points in the Treatment of Syphilis,’ 1857, and in 1863 he was elected surgeon to the hospital.

In 1867 he published a volume ‘On Joint Diseases.’ He wrote easily, but without much collected observation, thought, or research, and it is only as evidence of the practice of his period that his works deserve consultation.

While still in the prime of life he looked older than his years, and was attacked by general paralysis with delusions of boundless wealth, and died in December 1872.