Sir William Fergusson, 1st Baronet
Sir William Fergusson, 1st Baronet FRCS FRS FRSE (20 March 1808 – 10 February 1877) was a Scottish surgeon.
At the age of fifteen he was placed by his own desire in a lawyer's office, but the work proved uncongenial, and at seventeen he exchanged law for medicine, in accordance with his father's original wishes.
In 1831 he was elected surgeon to the Edinburgh Royal Dispensary, and in that year tied the subclavian artery, which had then been done in Scotland only twice.
His practice grew rapidly, and the fame of his operative skill brought many students and visitors to King's College Hospital.
He was created a baronet on 23 January 1866,[4] an honour which led to his receiving a presentation from three hundred old pupils, consisting of a silver dessert service worth £400, at the annual dinner of old King's College men on 21 June 1866.
His skill in dissection, and his careful study of the actions of the muscles which he had to cut through, were of essential importance to his success.
[6] As a lecturer, out of the operating theatre, Fergusson did not shine, owing to his reticence and his imperfect command of abstract subjects; although on points of practice he gave excellent instruction.
He had to sustain much opposition, especially from Syme, but he did not imitate his opponent's mode of controversy; and if on any occasion he imagined he had said or done something to hurt another's feelings, he never rested till he had made reparation in some form.
When a student he made himself a brass-bound dissecting case, and in 1834 completed a lithotrite, with a novel rack and pinion, which he used throughout life.
His endurance was remarkable; he never seemed tired, and scarcely had a day's illness till attacked by Bright's disease.
He was tall, dignified, and of good presence, of genial though keen expression, fond of a joke, and very hospitable.
[6] In some expressions of opinion Fergusson was ill-advised, especially in matters requiring more knowledge of physiology and hygiene than he possessed.
