Henry Ainslie

Henry Ainslie (Avatar)

1760-1834

Vol II

Pg 437

Henry Ainslie

1760-1834

Vol II

Pg 437

b.1760 d.26 October 1834

AB Cantab(1781) AM(1784) MD(1793) FRCP(1795)

Henry Ainslie, M.D., was the son of James Ainslie, M.D., a distinguished physician at Kendal, but was born in Cumberland in 1760. After a sound preliminary education at Kendal, he was sent to Pembroke college, Cambridge, of which house he was a fellow. He graduated A.B. 1781, and was senior wrangler of his year. He proceeded A.M. 1784; had a licence ad practicandum from the university in 1787; and, commencing the practice of his profession at Cambridge, was elected one of the physicians to Addenbrooke’s hospital. He commenced M.D. 1793; and then, settling in London, was admitted a Candidate of the College of Physicians 14th. April, 1794 ; and a Fellow, 30th March, 1795. He was Censor in 1795, 1803, 1810, 1814, 1818; Harveian orator in 1802; and was named an Elect 14th July, 1818. Dr. Ainslie was elected physician to St. Thomas’s hospital in 1795, but resigned his office there in 1800. He resigned his office of Elect, on account of ill health, 30th September, 1828; and died at Grizedale, near Hawkshead, co. Northumberland, 26th October, 1834, aged seventy-four. He is commemorated, with his father and elder brother, on a tablet in the church of Over Kellet, co. Lancaster. Dr. Ainslie’s portrait, by T. Stewardson, was engraved by W. Ward, R.A. (1)

William Munk

[(1) "Is cum Cantabrigiæ suæ prima labra scientiæ admovisset, ibi tam pleno se proluit haustu, ut præstantissimorum et summi ingenii atque industriæ juvenum, actis examinationibus facilè Princeps salutaretur, fratre suo majore natu proximum honoris locum obtinente. Hisce sub auspiciis, cum ad medicinam exercendam se accinxisset quis non ei pateret aditus ad opes, ad famam, ad amplitudinem? Omnes omnia bona dicere, et laudare fortunas medici, cui visa sunt et fausta omnia ac felicia in procinctu stare. At ea est tamen, quodammodo, artis nostræ conditio, ut Medicus, quamvis sit eruditus, quamvis sit in omni scientiâ ad artem suam pertinente, instructissimus, si fuerit idem in consuetudine vitæ et in moribus ac voluntatibus civium suorum hospes, parûm ei proderit oleum operamque inter calamos et scrinia consumpsisse." — Oratio ex Harvæii Instituto habita 25 Junii, 1835, auct. Henr. Halford]