Lanark’s Greatest Medical Pioneer

 William Smellie, born 1697 in Lanark, Scotland, died March 5, 1763 in Lanark, was an important obstetrician and has been called the father of British midwifery.1697LanarkScotland March 51763obstetrician  He practiced medicine before getting a licence, but enrolled later at the University of Glasgow and received his M.D. degree in After training in obstetrics in London and Paris, he opened a practice in London and began teaching. He re-invented the obstetrical forceps which had been created by the Romans. This invention helped with the delivery breech babies, and he bacame a very successful lecturer on the subject,charging three guineas a time.University of Glasgow1745LondonParisforceps breech

Contemporary illustration showing a complicated situation

 William Smellie retired to Lanark and he built a house called Smyllum. It was here that he died and he was survived by his wife Eupham Borland. His house was encased by the modern house that we see today by that I mean 19 th century.

William Smellie’s Memorial Chapel

Memorial plaque – mindlessly vandalised

 William Smellie donated his considerable collection of books to Lanark Grammar. Fortunately these were removed to the library since they are very valuable and would have been either vandalised or stolen if they had been left there. They are a major intellectual and cultural asset to the town if not to Scotland.

Roof of the chapel – again vandalised

An attempt made by the vandals to get into the chapel