Thomas Young

Early life and education Thomas Young was born on 10 March 1725. He was the younger son of Janet (née Ross) and her husband George Young (1692–1757), an Edinburgh surgeon who later became a physician and is best known for his empiricism and contributions to philosophy. Thomas Young matriculated in Faculty of Arts of the University of Edinburgh in 1741 and again in 1742.

Career In May 1745 Young was commissioned regimental surgeon in Lee's (55th) Regiment of Foot. In this capacity he served at the Battle of Prestonpans where he was taken prisoner after the defeat of the Government Army of General Sir John Cope. Many of those wounded at the battle were cared for in the newly built Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and Young, despite his prisoner status, was among the surgeons who treated them. He left the army in 1750 and set up in surgical practice in Edinburgh. His course consisted of some 50 lectures and copies of notes of these made by students survive. He also gave lectures to midwives and certificates were awarded to those who attended. The certificate awarded to Margaret Reid in 1768 reads:

These are to certify that Margaret Reid attended three courses of my lectures upon the theory and practice of midwifery and also in the Lying-in ward in the Royal Infirmary... by which means she had the opportunity of operating in all the different sorts of births. In 1780 he become joint Professor of Midwifery, sharing the chair with Alexander Hamilton (1739–1802).

On 5 March 1754 Thomas Young married Barbara Gibson. They had no children. Thomas Young died on 5 February 1783 and is buried in Greyfriars Churchyard, Edinburgh.