Matthew John Tierney

Sir Matthew John Tierney, 1st Baronet (24 November 1776 – 28 October 1845) was an Irish surgeon who became Physician-in-Ordinary to Kings George IV and William IV of the United Kingdom. He gained a reputation for his study of vaccination.

Early life He was born the eldest son of John Tierney of Ballyscandland, County Limerick and Mary, daughter of James Gleeson, of Rathkinnon, in the same county.

He commenced his medical education at the United Borough hospitals under the superintendence of Dr. Saunders and Dr. Babington.

Career In 1798, Tierney was appointed by the Earl of Berkeley as surgeon to his lordship's regiment of militia. In the same year he made the acquaintance of the smallpox vaccine pioneer Dr. Edward Jenner in Gloucestershire. He then went on to study at Edinburgh and Glasgow where he commenced his study of vaccination. Tierney gained the attention of Dr. James Gregory, the distinguished author of the Conspectus medicinae theoreticae, whose eldest son he vaccinated.

Tierney graduated doctor of medicine in Glasgow in 1802; he selected cowpock as his inaugural essay. He was admitted a Licentiate of the College of Physicians in 1806. In the summer of 1802 he settled as a physician at Brighton, where he contributed materially to the formation of a vaccine institution in that town – the first that was established outside London.

Having no issue, his titles passed to his brother, Edward Tierney of Dublin.