Wyn Beasley recounts the remarkable life of Teddy Evans, adventurer and naval commander

In the June 2012 issue of Surgeons’ News Chris Henry wrote about Alexander Jack, who served as surgeon aboard HMS Shannon in the War of 1812. Shannon was commanded by Captain Sir Philip Bowes Vere Broke; and that name prompted a stream of recollection that spans two centuries and includes – one century ago – the name of Evans.

Director of Heritage, Chris Henry unravels the story of an RCSEd surgeon and his post in naval history

Chesapeake Mill is located in the small village of Wickham in Hampshire. The name may not mean anything to anyone who is not interested in naval history, but Chesapeake was the name used by an American warship that was involved in a very famous naval action of the War of 1812. So what has that got to do with The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh?

In 2011, I noticed a small collection of items in a case in the office of the College Library, and was surprised to see a collection of papers and artefacts owned by Alexander Jack (1780 - 1822), who gained his Diploma from the RCSEd in 1801. During the early Napoleonic wars many naval surgeons were examined at one of the surgical colleges for their Diploma, and had to pass to be considered by the Navy. Jack was examined at the College and his name appears in the College minutes of 1801, “Appeared Mr. Alexander Jack being examined on his skill in Surgery & Pharmacy was found sufficiently qualified to act as a First Mate of a First Rate ship in His Majesty’s Navy…”

Helen Dingwall and Iain Macintyre reveal the extensive planning and research that went into a new title on the development of medicine in Scotland

For World Book Day in 2003 a group of German authors wrote, corrected, printed and bound a book all within 12 hours! By contrast our book, another group project, was over four years in the making. The project was initiated by Iain Macintyre and David Wright, and the other three authors – Helen Dingwall, David Hamilton and Morrice McCrae – were invited subsequently to join. We aimed to provide a history of Scottish medicine which would appeal to a general more than an academic readership and to produce a work in which illustrations would have prime significance.