Thomas Spens (physician)
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Dr Thomas Spens PRCPE FRSE (1764–1842) was an 18th/19th century Scottish physician who served as
Dr Thomas Spens PRCPE FRSE | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1764 Lathallan, Fife, Scotland |
| Died | May 27, 1842 (aged 77–78) Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
| Occupation | Physician |
| Title | President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh |
| Term | 1803-1806 |
| Predecessor | William Wright |
| Successor | Charles Stuart |
| Spouse | Bethia Wood |
| Children | James Spens, Nathaniel Spens, Helen Spens |
| Father | Nathaniel Spens PRCPE |
| Family | Clan Spens |
President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh from 1803 to 1806.
He was one of the first writers to provide a written report on what is now called cardiovascular syncope or Adams-Stokes syndrome.
He was born in 1764 the son of Nathaniel Spens of Lathallan in north-east Fife. The Spens family owned the estate of Lathallan in Fife and his grandfather was Thomas Spens, 15th Laird of Lathallan
Spens studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh earning his MD in 1784. At this time he lived with his parents on Niddry's Wynd off the Royal Mile in Edinburgh (now known as Niddry Street).[1]
In 1788 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Dr James Gregory, Sir James Hall, and Andrew Duncan, the elder. He was a physician at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and Edinburgh Lunatic Asylum.[2] In 1789 he was elected a member of the Aesculapian Club.[3]
In 1789 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.[4] By 1794 his father was living at 13 Horse Wynd at the foot of the Canongate near Holyrood Palace and Thomas is presumed to still live with him.[5]
In 1799 Spens was elected a member of the Harveian Society of Edinburgh, serving as president in 1808.[6]
In 1803 he succeeded Dr William Wright as President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, having previously served as the college Treasurer. Like his father he was a member of the Royal Company of Archers (the monarch's bodyguard in Scotland), and presented his father's yew bow to the Company where it remains on display.[7] He was succeeded in his role as president by Charles Stuart of Dunearn.
By 1810 his father had retired and Thomas was running his practice on Horse Wynd.[8]
He disappears from Edinburgh records in the 1820s and reappears around 1830 at Drummond Place in Edinburgh's Second New Town.
He died at home 14 Drummond Place[9] on 27 May 1842.