RCSI Heritage Collections

If you are one for a little light reading, why not visit the RCSI Heritage Collections webpage where you can now find a transcription of the entire charter granted to the College by George III in 1784. In 1765   Sylvester O'Halloran , a surgeon from   Limerick , had proposed a College of Surgeons in Ireland along the lines of the College de St. Cosme in Paris, which had been regulating French surgery since its creation by royal charter by   Louis IX   in 1255. The Dublin Society of Surgeons was founded in 1780 at The Elephant public house on Essex Street (now Parliament Street).  Surgery in Ireland was without regulation. Top page of the RCSI Charter The main goals of the society were to separate from the barbers and provide surgical education in Ireland. They lobbied for a royal charter in 1781 and presented the   Lord Lieutenant  with their  petition. Finally a   charter   was granted by  King George III   on 11 Febr...

'For the purpose of demonstrating the destructive effect of firearms upon the human frame, Bully's Acre (a pauper's graveyard) gave up its cleverest treasures for the performance of the experiment. The subjects being placed with military precision along the wall, the lecturer entered with his pistol in hand, and levelling the mortiferous weapon at the enemy, magnanimously discharged several rounds, each followed by repeated bursts of applause. As soon as the smoke and approbation subsided, then came the tug-of-war. The wounded were examined, arteries were taken up, bullets were extracted, bones were set, and every spectator fancied himself on the field of battle, and looking upon Mr. Kirby as a prodigy of genius and valour for shooting dead men'.  - Erinensis Sketches of the Surgical Profession in Ireland No. IV Mr. Kirby, Lancet 1824 This quote caught our attention here in the RCSI Heritage Collections. So we decided to look further at this Mr. Kirby and what ...

William Dease (1752-1798)       The impressive, whole-length seated statue facing the entrance door in the front hall of the College, represents William Dease (1752-1798) one of the founders of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He was the College's first Professor of Surgery and it's President in 1789. The sculptor was Sir Thomas Farrell, RHA. It was presented by the subject's grandson, Matthew O'Reilly Dease. It was unveiled by the Countess of Aberdeen at an afternoon ceremony on 27th April 1886. William Dease was born in Lisney, Co. Cavan, in 1752 to a landed family which had suffered through support of the Stuart cause. He received his professional education in Dublin and Paris, settling in Dublin he soon attained a good practice. He was surgeon to the United Hospitals of St. Nicolas and St. Catherine, in Francis Street, which in 1766 had forty beds and 5 elected surgeons. Dease was an original member of the Dublin Society for Surgeons. A successful pr...