Lectures and Papers of Professor John Chiene (1843-1923)

Contained within the collection are notes on surgery given by Chiene when he was teaching in the Extra-Academical School of Medicine, at MS 2665; notes of his lectures on surgery probably while teaching at Edinburgh University, at MS 2663; notes of lectures from 1883-1884 and 1885-1886, at Dk.3.17; lecture notes from 1887-1888, at Dk.4.17; lectures from the 1890s, with a printed resume of the course, at Gen. 1909; lecture notes, circa 1899, at Dk.5.38; and, letters from Chiene to J. G. McKendrick, 1907-1908, at Gen. 178/3, 4.

John Chiene was born in Edinburgh in 1843. He was educated at Edinburgh Academy and then studied medicine at Edinburgh University where he graduated in 1865. He became a Licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, around the same time. Study in Paris followed and on his return to Edinburgh he became a demonstrator of anatomy in the University Anatomical Department. He then became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and joined the staff of the New Town Dispensary in 1868. Chiene was appointed Assistant Surgeon at the Royal Infirmary in 1871 and shortly after that started teaching surgery. In 1882 he was appointed Professor of Surgery at Edinburgh University. During the Boer War he served in South Africa as a Consulting Surgeon to the Field Forces. Mentioned in dispatches, he received the appropriate medal. Chiene was also awarded the C.B. His publications include Lectures on surgical anatomy (1878), and The principles of surgery (1882). Chiene resigned his Chair at the University in 1909. Professor John Chiene died in Barnton, Edinburgh, on 29 May 1923

Generally open for consultation to bona fide researchers, but please contact repository for details in advance.

Easterbrook's notes purchased June 1972, Accession E72.26. Stephenson's notes purchased December 1984, Accession no. E84.65. Undated notes purchased January 1985, Accession E85.16.

The biographical/administrative history was compiled using the following material: (1) Obituary notice in Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Vol.43. Session 1922-1923. pp. 261-263. Edinburgh: Neill and Co., 1924. (2) Who was who 1916-1928. A companion to Who's who. 3rd edition. London: Adam and Charles Black, 1962.

Compiled by Graeme D Eddie, Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections Division.

Important finding aids generally are: the alphabetical Index to Manuscripts held at Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections and Archives, consisting of typed slips in sheaf binders and to which additions were made until 1987; and the Index to Accessions Since 1987.

The local Indexes show reference to a notice of Chiene in Sir J. S. Flett's account of his student days, 1886-1894, at Dc.6.116, ff.50-51, 64 (check the Indexes for more details).