106 DR seller's memoir OF THE 



chemical pharmacy, while Alston, who had been long previously King's Botanist, 

 taught after the 3'ear 1738, materia medica and botany. About this time 

 Sinclair's health also began to give way. The precise date of the death of Dr 

 Innes does not appear. It was, however, during the confusion and interruption 

 to the business of the university caused by the rebellion in 1745 and 1746. 

 Neither is it certain at what time Whytt first began to do duty in the university. 

 The date, however, of the commission, appointing him Professor of the Theory of 

 Medicine, is August 26, 1747. There is no doubt something confusing in this 

 account ; but the matter plainly stands thus : the death of Innes made a vacancy 

 among the four original Professors of Medicine, which was supplied by the elec- 

 tion of Whytt ; but Innes being a supernumerary professor of the Practice of 

 Medicine, the real intention was, that the new professor should fill the place of 

 Sinclair, who was no longer able for his duty, and whose successor he is some- 

 times said to have been. Accordingly it appears to have been stipulated on the 

 appointment of Whytt, that even if another vacancy should occur among the 

 four original professors, there should be no new election. The minute of the Town- 

 Council relative to the election bears, that Dr Whytt, as substitute-professor, 

 " had given universal content to all the gentlemen learned in that science." 

 Whytt ranks among the able professors placed in the university by the influence 

 of Provost Drummond. He was the most conspicuous citizen of Edinburgh at 

 this era ; and to him and the first Monro the ]\Iedical School and the Infirmary, 

 which go hand in hand, owe their early prosperity. In the long list of distin- 

 guished men appointed to chairs in the university under Drijmmond's auspices, 

 there stand, besides the subject of this Memoir, Colin Maclaurin, Matthew 

 Stewart, William Cullen, TnoiL^s Young, Monro Seamdiis, Adam Ferguson, 

 Principal Robertson, Hugh Blair. 



If the chronicles of those times are to be trusted, another illustrious name 

 must share in the merit of these appointments. Dr Somerville, in his " Life and 

 Times," says, " I know it to be a fact, that Provost Drummond, the most meri- 

 torious benefactor of the community over which he presided, did not find himself 

 at liberty to promise any preferment at the disposal of the Town-Council of Edin- 

 burgh, without the previous consent of Lord Milton, the delegate and political 

 agent of Archibald Duke of Argyle. To such an extreme was this scheme of 

 universal patronage stretched, that it was always deemed prudent to obtain 

 Lord Milton's good will, before making any application, even for places of 

 the most inconsiderable emolument and importance. It was fortunate for the 

 public, that in the enlightened scheme for filling the chairs in the university 

 with the ablest candidates, the Duke of Argyle concurred with Provost 

 Drummond." * 



Somerville, " My Life and Times," p. 38C. 



