[8] He then spent a short time in London, studying under John Abernethy and Sir William Lawrence, and in Paris, where he learned analytical chemistry from Pierre Robiquet and toxicology from Mathieu Orfila.

[5] In 1822 he returned to Edinburgh as professor of medical jurisprudence and set to work to organise the study of his subject on a sound basis.

At this time his address is listed as 3 Great Stuart Street on the Moray Estate, a large Georgian townhouse in the west end of Edinburgh, a desirable area.

[14] A further (still controversial) proposal was his creation of a system of lethal injection (through the discovery of physostigmine in 1846) for human execution, in place of hanging.

[17] Christison, who retained remarkable physical vigour and activity until old age, died at home, 40 Moray Place[18] in Edinburgh on 27 January 1882.

Christison was unequivocally opposed to women studying medicine and qualifying as doctors, and led the campaign against Sophia Jex-Blake and the Edinburgh Seven.

When the Senatus met on 9 April 1870 to discuss the issue of Edith Pechey's right to a Hope Scholarship having come top of the class in the chemistry exam, he made his opinions clear.

He shared the view of many of his contemporaries that nature intended women to be mothers and housekeepers, and lacked the intellectual ability and stamina of men.