User:Gvnpeacock/David MacBride

David Macbride
Engraving by J. T. Smith, 1797, after Sir Joshua Reynolds, Wellcome
Born	26 April 1726 Ballymoney, Ireland
Died	26 December 1778 Dublin, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Alma mater	University of Glasgow
Scientific career
Fields	Medicine and chemistry
Academic advisors	William Cullen

David Macbride (26 April 1726 - 26 December 1778) was an influential Irish chemist, physician and medical writer.

Life

David Macbride was born in Ballymoney, Ireland on 26 April 1726 to Presbyterian minister Robert McBride. His grandfather was John McBride. His younger brother, John MacBride, became a Royal Navy Admiral. David MacBride learned Greek and Latin in the public school in Ballymoney and was later apprenticed to Mr. Thompson, a surgeon. He then served as a surgeon in the Royal Navy. Dr Macbride was married first to Miss Margaret Armstrong on the 20th of November 1753 at St Audoen's Church Dublin and on the 5th of June 1762 he was married in the same church to his second wife Dorcas Evory, widow of George Cumming Esq of Bride street Dublin merchant He died without issue.

After the the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748), he studied in Edinburgh under Monro and in London under Hunter and Smellie. He then began practicing medicine settling in Dublin in 1749 as a surgeon and accoucheur, an early term for an obstetrician. He became secretary to the Medico-Philosophical Society in 1762. In 1764, he published his “Experimental Essays,” which were very well received and translated into French and German. The University of Glasgow granted him an M.D based on his work that same year. His "Theory and practice of Physic", published in 1772, based on lectures he had performed from his home, was translated into several languages. It contained a nosology, a classification of diseases, identified by Cullen as one of the first of its kind. From 1774-1779 he continued to teach and practice medicine.

Chemistry

Macbride studied the work of Joseph Black and was the first to document certain properties of Carbon Dioxide, then known as Fixed Air. He identified that Carbon Dioxide is released during fermentation and also with the decay of animal and vegetable matter. These discoveries were recorded in his "Experimental Essays". He developed a theory that Fixed Air was a "cementing principle" in living matter since the loss of it accompanied decay. He ran a series of tests showing that a mixture of animal and vegetable matter would result in fermentation. This, he assumed, was the key principle in digestion. The fixed air released by fermentation in the body would be absorbed into the body and thus cement the body's structure.

Scurvy

Macbride's time as a Naval surgeon had exposed him to the scourge of scurvy. He focuses his studies on finding a cure for it and felt that he had found it with Fixed Air. He wrote a proposal for a cure based on his research. He felt that lack of fresh fruit and vegetables on long sea voyages caused a lack of healthy fermentation. The cure was to supply something that could resume this fermentation. It had to be something that could be stored compactly and would keep for many months. So he proposed creating a wort from dried malt. Malt worts are used in brewing beer and are quite capable of fermenting after long storage. Captain Cook used this malt work on his voyages along with several other proposed cures, including "rob" of lemon, as recommended by James Lind. Captain Cook reported that Macbride's Malt wort had the best results. Lind's "rob of lemon" involved boiling the lemon juice to condense and preserve it, and the boiling drastically reduced the vitamin C content. Many other reports were made of the success of the Malt Wort. Macbride became famous for having found a cure for Scurvy and his method was used for many years by ships around the world. Joseph Priestly was impressed by Macbride's logic but wanted to find an even simpler method of getting the essential fixed air into people. To accomplish this, he invented a new method for carbonating water. This was also sent on Cooks voyages. Although Cook was not impressed with it, health minded people were attracted to carbonated water and it became a fad.

Publications

Experimental Essays on the following Subjects: I. On the Fermentation of Alimentary Mixtures. II. On the Nature and Properties of Fixed Air. III. On the respective Powers, and Manner of Acting, of the different kinds of Antiseptics. IV. On the Scurvy; with a Proposal for trying new Methods to prevent or cure the same, at Sea. V. On the Dissolvent Power of Quick-Lime. Illustrated with Copper-Plates. By David Macbride, Surgeon. London: Printed for A. Millar, 1764.

Experimental essays on medical and philosophical subjects, 2nd ed. Dublin: Ewing, 1767.

An historical account of a new method of treating scurvy at sea. London: A. Millar and T. Cadell, 1767.

An historical account of a new method of treating scurvy, at sea; containing ten cases which shew that this destructive disease may be easily and effectually cured, without the aid of fresh vegetable diet. Dublin, W.G. Jones, 1767.

Some account of a new method of tanning. Whereby Leather is improved in its Quality, tanned in one third of the Time required by the Common Process, and with a Saving of One Fourth in the Expence of tanning Materials. Invented by David Macbride, Of the City of Dublin, Doctor of Physic. And by him submitted to the Consideration of Parliament. Dublin, Boulter Grierson, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty, 1769

Experiments on bleaching, Francis Home; James Ferguson, M.D.; Joseph Black; David Macbride, Dublin : Printed for T. Ewing, 1771.

A Methodical Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Physic, W. Strahan, London, 1772

n Account of two extraordinary Cases after Delivery by David Macbride MD and communicated by Dr Hunter, Medical Observations and Inquiries vol v p 89, 1772

Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Physic (Dublin UtoUX 1773)

Introductio methodica in theoriam et praxin medicinae Theoretica. David Macbride, Trajecti ad Rhenum : Schoonhoven, 1774.

Experimental essays on medical and philosophical subjects, 3rd ed. 1776, London, Becket and Cadell

An Improved Method of Tanning Leather. By David Macbride, M. D. Communicated by Sir John Pringle, Bart. P. R. S. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. January 1, 1778

Introducción metódica del doctor David MacBride á la teórica y práctica de la medicina, translation by Juan Federico Closio, 1798

Publication date Principles of virtue and morality, The Moral Library, Boston, William Spotswood, 1796

Principles of virtue and morality or Essays and meditations on various subjects[.] : Mark the prefect man, and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace. Dublin : printed at the request of Dr. Mc.Bride by H. Colbert, 1797.

External links

• [http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Macbride,_David_(DNB00) Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 34

Macbride, David]