A Century of Service - Eoin O'Brien

John Cheyne
The Voluntary Hospital Movement and the Dublin School
John Cheyne, first professor of medicine in the Royal College of Surgeons
(1813–1819) was not Irish, but such has been his association with Dublin that his
Scottish origins are often overlooked. After graduating from Edinburgh he joined
the Royal Regiment of Artillery at Woolwich, and then accompanied a brigade of
horse artillery to Ireland and was present at the abortive insurrection at Vinegar Hill
in 1798. He did not regard his career in the army as altogether satisfactory, “much
of his time being spent in shooting, playing billiards, reading such books as the
circulating library supplied, and in complete dissipation of time.” In fact, so
successful was he in the pursuit of pleasure that he “learned nothing but ease and
propriety of behaviour.” 22 Principled, and idealistic, as indeed are most young
doctors, he sought an opening that would give him the opportunity of distinguishing
himself rather than “securing a large income.” He was given his chance in 1811 when
he was appointed physician to the Meath hospital, and two years later he became
professor of medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons. Four years later he was
appointed Physician to the House of Industry Hospitals, where by virtue of
“experience and of well-trained sick nurses, who allowed nothing to escape their
observation,” he was able to complete his daily visit in “little more than an hour.”
Before long he had a flourishing private practice, and the principles that originally
motivated him to leave the army and seek a more altruistic career appear to have
suffered a reverse: “I therefore felt it necessary to resign my professorship at the
College of Surgeons, as well as my charge at the Meath Hospital, that my private
John Cheyne (1777–1836).
Portrait possibly by William Deey, Royal College of
Physicians in Ireland.
9