571 
idea, which was without foundation, had probably been a principal 
cause why his merits had not always been duly recognised. 
It was mentioned in the Memoir, that Whytt was born at 
Edinburgh, September 6, 1714; he was the son of Robert Whytt 
of Bennochy, a member of the Scottish bar ; he was a posthu- 
mous child, born six months after his father’s death ; he was 
not yet seven years old when he lost his mother ; her name was 
Murray ; she was the daughter of Antony Murray of Woodend, 
in Perthshire. Whytt was sent, when still very young, to the 
University of St Andrews, where at the early age of sixteen he 
took the degree of Master of Arts. When fourteen years old he 
succeeded, by the death of his elder brother, to the family estate. 
He had two sisters, who were married, and had descendants. 
In 1730 he repaired to Edinburgh to study medicine; and there 
is still extant a manuscript book of notes taken by him at that 
period from the lectures of George Young. After three or four 
years devoted to medicine at Edinburgh, he proceeded to London, 
where he became the pupil of Cheselden ; thence to Paris, where 
he studied anatomy under Winslow ; and thence to Leyden, where 
Boerhaave and Albinus were his preceptors. Finally, in 1736, he 
took the degree of Doctor of Medicine at Rheims. On his return 
to Scotland the University of St Andrews spontaneously conferred 
on him the same medical honour. Having become a fellow of the 
Edinburgh College of Physicians, he commenced practice, and even 
at so early an age he is said to have had much success. Soon after 
he married Miss Robertson, who is described as the sister of Gene- 
ral Robertson, Governor of New York. By this lady he had two 
children, who died in infancy. Her death followed soon after. In 
1743 he married Louisa Balfour of Pilrig, whose brother afterwards 
became Professor of Moral Philosophy in the University of Edin- 
burgh. By this lady he had fourteen children, six of whom sur- 
vived him. His second wife died in 1764, two years before himself. 
Whytt suffered severely from ill health for fifteen months before his 
death, which took place, April 15, 1766. A post-mortem examina- 
tion showed extensive effusion in both cavities of the pleura, some 
disease in the mucous membrane of the stomach, and concretions in 
the pancreas. 
Whytt’s first work, “ On the Virtues of Lime-Water and Soap in 
the cure of Stone,” was published in the Edinburgh Medical Essays 
4 H 
VOL. TV. 
