Today marks the 171st anniversary of the death of a man who despite achieving so much in the world of surgery is largely forgotten by it's population. He is recognised as introducing the microscope into Irish medicine in 1830, being Ireland's first investigator into the field of cancer research and for discovering the transverse folds of the rectum, which are also known as 'Houston's valves'. That man was one John Houston.
Houston was born in Northern Ireland in 1802. Little is known about his childhood before he was adopted by his maternal uncle, Dr Joseph Taylor. Taylor financed his nephew's education in medicine and in 1819 Houston was apprenticed to John Shekleton, a young dynamic surgeon and soon-to-be Curator of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Museum.
Houston's apprenticeship finished in 1824, the same year that Shekleton suddenly died at the age of 29. Houston lost his teacher, mentor and friend and on the day of Shekleton's funeral Houston attended the service before making his way to the College to sit his final exams, which he passed. In 1826 he graduated MD from Edinburgh and played an active role in the project to build the City of Dublin Hospital in Baggot Street.
Houston was to fill his mentor's shoes when he was appointed Curator of the Museum in 1824, a post he kept for 17 years. The museum grew considerably under Houston's watchful eye through donations from leading surgeons of the time and numerous preparations he made. He also undertook the cataloguing of all the preparations in the Museum creating and publishing the first College's first descriptive catalogue of pathological and anatomical specimens.
In 1844 Houston published a paper in the Dublin Medical Press entitled 'On the microscopic pathology of cancer'. Johannes Muller, one of the first to use the microscope in the study of pathology, had published his famous book On the Minute Structure and Form of Morbid Tumours only 6 years before Houston's paper. By acquiring a high powered magnifying microscope, Houston was able to enter this field of research and become the first to use the microscope in medicine in Ireland. His interest lay in the study of tumours and the cancerous cells that lay within.
Unfortunately, in April 1845 Houston collapsed whilst giving a clinical lecture in Baggot Street Hospital. It is believed he had suffered a cerebral haemorrhage thought to be from his brain and mind being 'over-worked'. John Houston died two months later on 30th July 1845, he was 43 years old.
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy
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| John Houston 1802-1845 |
Houston was born in Northern Ireland in 1802. Little is known about his childhood before he was adopted by his maternal uncle, Dr Joseph Taylor. Taylor financed his nephew's education in medicine and in 1819 Houston was apprenticed to John Shekleton, a young dynamic surgeon and soon-to-be Curator of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Museum.
Houston's apprenticeship finished in 1824, the same year that Shekleton suddenly died at the age of 29. Houston lost his teacher, mentor and friend and on the day of Shekleton's funeral Houston attended the service before making his way to the College to sit his final exams, which he passed. In 1826 he graduated MD from Edinburgh and played an active role in the project to build the City of Dublin Hospital in Baggot Street.
Houston was to fill his mentor's shoes when he was appointed Curator of the Museum in 1824, a post he kept for 17 years. The museum grew considerably under Houston's watchful eye through donations from leading surgeons of the time and numerous preparations he made. He also undertook the cataloguing of all the preparations in the Museum creating and publishing the first College's first descriptive catalogue of pathological and anatomical specimens.
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| Houston's manuscript notes for his descriptive catalogue |
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| Houston's first published catalogue dated 1834 |
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| Houston's supplemental lists to be added to the next edition of the descriptive catalogue, dated 1843 |
In 1844 Houston published a paper in the Dublin Medical Press entitled 'On the microscopic pathology of cancer'. Johannes Muller, one of the first to use the microscope in the study of pathology, had published his famous book On the Minute Structure and Form of Morbid Tumours only 6 years before Houston's paper. By acquiring a high powered magnifying microscope, Houston was able to enter this field of research and become the first to use the microscope in medicine in Ireland. His interest lay in the study of tumours and the cancerous cells that lay within.
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| Houston's notes relating to cancerous cells dated 5th December 1844 |
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| Houston's accompanying drawings to the notes on the left. These cells were seen through his microscope |
Unfortunately, in April 1845 Houston collapsed whilst giving a clinical lecture in Baggot Street Hospital. It is believed he had suffered a cerebral haemorrhage thought to be from his brain and mind being 'over-worked'. John Houston died two months later on 30th July 1845, he was 43 years old.
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy