Early in his career, and for many subsequent years, Mr. Butcher excited the admiration of medical students by exhibitions of his muscular development. He was wont to roll up his shirt-sleeves before operating, thereby exposing to view biceps of much more than average proportions. His dark complexion, well-oiled, raven black, long hair and good features rendered his appearance remarkable.
- Sir Charles A. Cameron
Upon reading this description of Richard George Herbert Butcher, President of the RCSI 1866-67, the Heritage Collections couldn't help but find out more about this Irish surgeon.
Butcher was born on 19th April 1819 in Danesfort, Killarney to a family of English origin. He was 1 of 13 children born to Vice-Admiral Samuel Butcher and Elizabeth Herbert. butcher received his primary eduction in Hamblin's and Porter's School in Cork. He began his medical studies under John Woodroffe in the Cork School of Medicine. After two years he came to Dublin and pursued his anatomical studies in the School at 27 Peter Street.
Butcher spent some time in Guy's Hospital London where he heard such giants in surgery as Sir Astley Cooper present lectures. He received his Licence of the London College of Surgeons in 1838 and that of the Dublin College in September 1841. In 1844 he was made a Fellow of the Dublin School of Medicine and was appointed a Demonstrator in the same school.
Not long after his appointment as Demonstrator he was promoted to Lecturer on Anatomy. For many years Butcher was Surgeon in Mercer's Hospital where he attracted large numbers of students. His skill and ability as a surgeon was becoming rapidly recognised. Butcher's devilishly handsome physique could only had added to this recognition!
The Medical Registrar of Trinity College, Rev. Professor Haughton, persuaded Butcher to accept the newly created post of Lecturer on Operative Surgery. With this new appointment Butcher left Mercer's Hospital and joined the medical staff of Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital. Professor Haughton once said
Since the day I entered Trinity College, I do not believe that a greater benefit was ever conferred on it than in the day on which I induced Mr. Butcher to undertake the teaching of operative surgery in its School of Medicine.
In appreciation of his work Butcher was conferred with the degree of M.D. honoris causa by Trinity in 1863. Butcher had numerous writings published in medical journals and was well known to medical students throughout the world as the inventor of a surgical saw, called 'Butcher's Saw'. He had a well-deserved reputation as a surgeon and was a practitioner of 'bloodless' surgery. Butcher was elected President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 1866.
Butcher married Julia, daughter of Evory Carmichael M.D., in 1840. The marriage wasn't to last and they separated not having had any children. Butcher died on 21st March 1891.
In 1885 Butcher presented his museum to the RCSI. Over the decades and the changes in teaching methods some of Butcher's specimens have been disposed of. But the Heritage Collections are delighted to hold Richard Butcher's papers.
This collection contains 10 casebooks dating from 1845 to 1859, 2 volumes of 'casts illustrative of surgical science' and a scrapbook full of interesting articles and photographs accompanied by Butcher's own thoughts.
This collection is currently uncatalogued but is high on the list of priorities for the Heritage Collections cataloguing initiative.
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy
- Sir Charles A. Cameron
Upon reading this description of Richard George Herbert Butcher, President of the RCSI 1866-67, the Heritage Collections couldn't help but find out more about this Irish surgeon.
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| Richard George Butcher (1819-1891) |
Butcher spent some time in Guy's Hospital London where he heard such giants in surgery as Sir Astley Cooper present lectures. He received his Licence of the London College of Surgeons in 1838 and that of the Dublin College in September 1841. In 1844 he was made a Fellow of the Dublin School of Medicine and was appointed a Demonstrator in the same school.
Not long after his appointment as Demonstrator he was promoted to Lecturer on Anatomy. For many years Butcher was Surgeon in Mercer's Hospital where he attracted large numbers of students. His skill and ability as a surgeon was becoming rapidly recognised. Butcher's devilishly handsome physique could only had added to this recognition!
The Medical Registrar of Trinity College, Rev. Professor Haughton, persuaded Butcher to accept the newly created post of Lecturer on Operative Surgery. With this new appointment Butcher left Mercer's Hospital and joined the medical staff of Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital. Professor Haughton once said
Since the day I entered Trinity College, I do not believe that a greater benefit was ever conferred on it than in the day on which I induced Mr. Butcher to undertake the teaching of operative surgery in its School of Medicine.
In appreciation of his work Butcher was conferred with the degree of M.D. honoris causa by Trinity in 1863. Butcher had numerous writings published in medical journals and was well known to medical students throughout the world as the inventor of a surgical saw, called 'Butcher's Saw'. He had a well-deserved reputation as a surgeon and was a practitioner of 'bloodless' surgery. Butcher was elected President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 1866.
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| Butcher's Casebook Vol. 2 1846-1848 |
In 1885 Butcher presented his museum to the RCSI. Over the decades and the changes in teaching methods some of Butcher's specimens have been disposed of. But the Heritage Collections are delighted to hold Richard Butcher's papers.
 |
| Butcher's Scrapbook |
This collection contains 10 casebooks dating from 1845 to 1859, 2 volumes of 'casts illustrative of surgical science' and a scrapbook full of interesting articles and photographs accompanied by Butcher's own thoughts.
This collection is currently uncatalogued but is high on the list of priorities for the Heritage Collections cataloguing initiative.
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy