James Young Simpson

SIMPSON, James Young (1811–1870), a highly and versatilely gifted Scottish physician, the "father of anesthesia," a famous obstetrician, surgeon, inventor, health care organizer, and archaeologist. The son of a modest baker, Simpson began his life's career as an apprentice in his father's bakery and owes it entirely to himself that he entered the medical faculty of the University of Edinburgh, completed it brilliantly, and at the age of only 29 occupied the chair of obstetrics at the same university. Here, Simpson quickly distinguished himself as an outstanding clinician, a remarkable teacher, and a skillful operator.

Having familiarized himself with the anesthetic effect of ether, Simpson was the first to use it in obstetrics. Simpson's further work on anesthesia led him to the discovery of the anesthetic effect of chloroform, which he then introduced into obstetrics and surgery. Simpson's work on anesthesia has not become obsolete to this day and, due to its enormous significance for the development of medicine, gives Simpson a well-deserved right to the title of "father of anesthesia." Among Simpson's numerous works on obstetrics, the most significant was the work "On turning as a substitute for perforation and high forceps" (1850). Here, the theory and practice of the so-called "prophylactic version" were developed—this operation lost its significance only with the expansion of indications for cesarean section (see Obstetric version). Simpson invented and improved a number of instruments; of particular importance are the invention of the cranioclast and the improvement of obstetric forceps (see Obstetric instrumentation). In surgery, Simpson proposed a new method for stopping bleeding from severed and wounded vessels by pinning and compressing the bleeding vessel with a needle. This method, "acupressure," was undoubtedly a major innovation for its time (1859). At the present time, it is of only historical interest. Simpson's works on obstetrics and anesthesia—"The obstetric memoirs and contributions"—were published in two volumes (Edinburgh, v. I–II, 1855–56), and his clinical lectures on women's diseases in one volume—"Clinical lectures on diseases of women" (Philadelphia, 1863).