RCSI Heritage Collections

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. 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 da...

It's fast approaching exactly 100 years since the start of the Great War. A war that saw numerous atrocities and millions die in battle. Large numbers of staff and students from the College went over to play their part in the effort to save some of these lives. One man, Professor of Surgery, at the time went and was lucky enough to return after the war in 1918. His name was George Jameson Johnston . George Jameson Johnston (1866 - 1926) Johnston was born in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, in April 1866. He attended the Royal School in his town before entering Trinity College. Even though he took his courses in Trinity Johnston chose to take his medical degrees from the Royal University. He was First of First Honourmen and First-class Exhibitioner at his B.A examination. He was also First Honourman in Anatomy and Prizeman in Midwifery in Trinity. Johnston, before and after qualification, conducted large private classes or what we would know as 'grinds' now. He graduate M....