Sir David James Hamilton Dickson, M.D., was the youngest son of the Rev. George Dickson, minister of Bedrule, in Roxburghshire. He was educated as a surgeon; had a licence from the College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1798, and having entered the navy, served in that capacity in the expedition to Holland in 1799, and in that to Egypt in 1801. He was also present at the capture of the French and Dutch islands in the West Indies. Created doctor of medicine at Aberdeen 18th August, 1806, he was appointed, in 1806, physician and inspector of H.M. ships and hospitals at the Leeward islands. In 1813, he was appointed superintendent of the Russian fleet in the Medway, and for his services in that office received the order of St. Vladimir from the emperor Alexander. He was next appointed physician to the Mediterranean fleet, and in 1824 physician to the Royal Naval hospital at Plymouth. He had been admitted a fellow of the Edinburgh College of Physicians, 6th August, 1816, and he was admitted an Extra-Licentiate of the College of Physicians of London, 15th June, 1822. He received the honour of knighthood from William IV, 20th August, 1834; and in 1840 was promoted to the rank of inspector of hospitals and fleets. Sir David Dickson died at Stonehouse, co. Devon, 2nd January, 1850, in the seventieth year of his age.(1)

William Munk

[(1) Gent.Mag., March, 1850.]