Account of the life and works of Maister Peter Lowe : the founder of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow / by James Finlayson.

  • James Finlayson
Date:
1889
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Account of the life and works of Maister Peter Lowe : the founder of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow / by James Finlayson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    “Chirurgian ordinary to Henry the fourth, the most Christian “King of Fraunce and Nauarre”; “Chirurgian ordinarie to the most “ victorious and Christian King of Fraunce and Nauarre ”; “ ordinary “ Chyrurgion to the French King and Navarre”; these are the slightly different forms under which he gives this title, and in the preface he speaks of his “ following the French King my Master.” William Clowes also speaks of Peter Lowe as “ Chirurgion unto the French King” in the preface to the first edition of the “ Chirurgerie.” The title seems plain and definite enough and has escaped Astruc’s sceptical criticism. Accord- ing to Dr. A. Dureau, of the Library of the Academy of Medicine in Paris, it appears that he did not figure in the list of ordinary surgeons of King Henry IV., that is of the paid surgeons, but he adds that he may, as a foreigner, have received an honorary appointment; indeed, we might infer something of this kind from his continuing to call himself “ ordinary Chyrurgion to the French King and Navarre ” sixteen years after he left France, and two years after Henry’s death.* 1 Chief Chirurgiane to Prince Henry.—In the Charter to the Faculty, James VI. calls “ Maister Peter Low, our Chirurgiane, and chiefe chirurgiane to oure dearest son the Prince”; this was in 1599. Whatever may be the meaning of the words “ our chirurgiane ” (probably merely complimentary) it is clear that he was not one of the Chief surgeons to the Monarch 2 from “ Docteurs,” p. 227. The subject is gone into with great detail in this volume, but these short quotations are sufficient for the present purpose, which is to show the bona fides of Peter Lowe in using the title, and the animus of Astruc in accusing him of arrogance and absurdity in doing so. 1 See the letter of Dr. Dureau in Appendix No. III. The writer does not know where to search for the list of surgeons to the French King. King Henry was murdered 14th May, 1610. 2 Who these were we learn from Peter Lowe himself in the 1st edition of his “Chirurgerie,” Lib. vi., Cap. 10, “ Gilbert Primrose and John Nessmitk Chirurgians to “the King of Scotland men very expert in this operation [Trepanning] like as in all “operations chirurgicalls. God increase the number of such learned men in this Land.” In the first edition of the “Chirurgerie” (Lib. v., Cap. 14) he speaks of Andrew Scot as Chirurgion to the King of Scotland. (See p. 8 of this Memoir.) Compare 2nd edition, p. 320, where he mentions George Baker as surgeon to his “ most sacred maiesty ” (James I.), and this edition has a dedication to “Gilbert Primrose, Sergeant Chirurgian to the Kings Maiestie; lames Harvie cheif Chirurgian to the Queenes Maiestie, &c.”