Surgeon, Medical Pioneer. Alexander Monro I was the first of three generations of surgeons by the same name to chair the anatomy department at the Edinburgh Medical School. He is now known as Alexander Monro Primus to distinguish him from his son and grandson, the three of whom chaired the same department for 128 consecutive years. Monro Primus was born in London to Scottish parentage and later studied medicine in Edinburgh, Paris and Leiden. His father was an army surgeon. After completing his training, he returned to Edinburgh in 1719 and was appointed as a lecturer at the Edinburgh Surgeon's Company. He later progressed to full professor and was admitted to the University of Edinburgh in 1725. While he did practice clinically, he was best known for his contributions to the field of anatomy, and specifically to bone anatomy. Monro published "The Anatomy of Human Bones" in 1726. He also wrote treatises on the anatomy of nerves as well as on the inoculation of smallpox. He was one of the founders of the teaching hospital that eventually became the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. He was eventually elected to the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh), the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh). in 1723, Monro was elected a Fellow to the Royal Society (London) under the recommendation of William Cheseldon. Monro married Isabella MacDonald, daughter of Sir Donald MacDonald of Sleat, Lord of the Isles. The couple had eight children, two of whom would become surgeons, Donald Monro and Alexander Monro Secundus. He died in Edinburgh of rectal cancer in 1767.
Surgeon, Medical Pioneer. Alexander Monro I was the first of three generations of surgeons by the same name to chair the anatomy department at the Edinburgh Medical School. He is now known as Alexander Monro Primus to distinguish him from his son and grandson, the three of whom chaired the same department for 128 consecutive years. Monro Primus was born in London to Scottish parentage and later studied medicine in Edinburgh, Paris and Leiden. His father was an army surgeon. After completing his training, he returned to Edinburgh in 1719 and was appointed as a lecturer at the Edinburgh Surgeon's Company. He later progressed to full professor and was admitted to the University of Edinburgh in 1725. While he did practice clinically, he was best known for his contributions to the field of anatomy, and specifically to bone anatomy. Monro published "The Anatomy of Human Bones" in 1726. He also wrote treatises on the anatomy of nerves as well as on the inoculation of smallpox. He was one of the founders of the teaching hospital that eventually became the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. He was eventually elected to the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh), the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh). in 1723, Monro was elected a Fellow to the Royal Society (London) under the recommendation of William Cheseldon. Monro married Isabella MacDonald, daughter of Sir Donald MacDonald of Sleat, Lord of the Isles. The couple had eight children, two of whom would become surgeons, Donald Monro and Alexander Monro Secundus. He died in Edinburgh of rectal cancer in 1767.
Bio by: MSB
Inscription
Erected by
Maria Elizabeth Janet Munro, wife of
T. Stanley Rogerson, Esq. of the priory
Liverpool.
Sophia Frances Margaret Munro
daughters of Major William Munro Late
79? Highlanders and great great grand daughters
of the first professor Monro.
Family Members
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