Sir B. Christison. 267 



Cbristison's residence in Paris the following eminent 

 " Pbarmaciens " (thus entitled) were in the French School 

 of Pharmacy, viz., Pelletier, Caventou, Desfosses, Lasaigne, 

 Robert, Henri, Gruibourt, Braconnot, Chevalier, Vauquelin, 

 Robinet, and others. 



On bis return from the Continent of Europe he com- 

 menced medical practice in Edinburgh as a physician. 

 In 1822 (when 25 years of age) he was appointed by 

 the Crown Professor of Medical Jurisprudence in the 

 University of Edinburgh as successor to Dr Alison. In 

 1823 he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, 

 Edinburgh. 



Christison married in 1827 Henrietta Sophia, daughter 

 of Mr David Brown of Greenknowe, Stirlingshire. Mrs 

 Christison died in 1849. Three sons were born of this 

 marriage ; the eldest, Alexander, born in 1828, now a 

 Deputy-Surgeon General in the Bengal Army, succeeds to 

 the baronetcy. 



In 1829 Dr Christison published his excellent Treatise on 

 Poisons, and was immediately recognised to be one of the 

 most eminent of toxicologists. His opinion of the duty of 

 a toxicologist at a trial is well given in the Pharmaceutical 

 Journal. In reference to trials before the high criminal 

 court, he remarks as follows : — " While the medical witness 

 ought to be always prepared to give full effect to every 

 medical circumstance favourable to the prisoner, he should 

 at the same time recollect that very few trials indeed take 

 place in Britain, where it is not in the highest degree 

 probable that poison was given ; and consequently that the 

 main purpose of his inquiries must be to bring together 

 the whole medical evidence to this effect, and to secure 

 it against the doubts which the ingenuity of counsel is 

 sure to throw over his conclusions, if the premises are 

 anywhere false or defective." 



In 1832 he vacated his Jurisprudence Professorship, 

 having been elected to the chair of Materia Medica in 

 the University, then vacant by the death of Dr Duncan, 

 junior, and he kept this position till 1877, when he 

 retired on account of the state of his health. He alao 

 discharged clinical duties in the Infirmary during most of 

 his long professional career. 



