Edinburgh, the Scottish pioneers of anatomy and their lasting influence in South Africa

Abstract

The history of the origin of anatomy education in South Africa is the history of an arduous journey through time. The lasting influence of Edinburgh came in the form of Robert Black Thomson. He was a student and assistant of Sir William Turner who gave rise to the first chair of anatomy and the establishment of a department at the South African College, known today as University of Cape Town. Thomson was later succeeded by Matthew Drennan, a keen anthropologist, who was revered by his students. This Scottish link prevailed over time with the appointment of Edward Philip Stibbe as the chair of anatomy at the South African School of Mines and Technology, which later became the University of the Witwatersrand. Stibbe's successor, Raymond Arthur Dart, a graduate of the University of Sydney, was trained in an anatomy department sculpted on that of Edinburgh by Professor James Thomas Wilson. Wilson's influence at the University of Sydney can be traced back to Edinburgh and William Turner through Thomas Anderson Stuart. Both Dart and Robert Broom, another Scot, were considered as Africa's wild men by the late Professor Tobias. Here, the authors explore the Scottish link and origins of anatomy pedagogy in South Africa.

Gross anatomy education for South African undergraduate physiotherapy students

“…Throughout history medical education has had a strong anatomical component (Papa and Vaccarezza, ). The teaching of anatomy in South Africa began in 1911 at the South African College, later called the University of Cape Town (Correia et al, ). In 1919, an anatomy department was started at the South African School of Mines and Technology that later became the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) (Correia et al, ).…”

“…The teaching of anatomy in South Africa began in 1911 at the South African College, later called the University of Cape Town (Correia et al, ). In 1919, an anatomy department was started at the South African School of Mines and Technology that later became the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) (Correia et al, ). The Department of Physiotherapy at WITS has the oldest physiotherapy (PT) program in South Africa: a three year diploma in PT was offered from 1938 but in 1943 the four‐year degree was established under the leadership of Raymond Dart, an anatomy professor and Dean of the Medical School at WITS from 1925 to 1943 (Tobias, ; Myezwa et al, ).…”

Sir William Turner (1832–1916) – Lancastrian, anatomist and champion of the Victorian era

“…26 Recent evidence points towards his far-reaching educational influence through Turner's students, both directly and indirectly, in South Africa and Australia. 4,25 In South Africa, it was through Robert Black Thomson (1880-1937) 24 who became the first professor of anatomy in 1911 and established the first department of anatomy at the South African College, known today as the University of Cape Town. 24 Thomson graduated from Edinburgh in 1905 and was a student of Turner and Cunningham.…”

“…Dart became the Chair of Anatomy at the South African School of Mines and Technology (known today as the University of the Witwatersrand). 24,25 Turner's subtle influence has been demonstrated through the Dart Collection of human skeletons in Johannesburg, South Africa. The collection came into existence after Dart's exposure to similar collections at Washington University and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.…”

“…19 Many of these were Turner’s students who became anatomists in America, Australia and the rest of the United Kingdom. 4,17,25 He was not only an instructor of students but future professors of Anatomy including Alexander Primrose (1861–1944) in Toronto, Richard Berry (1867–1962) in Melbourne, David Hepburn (1859–1931) in Cardiff, Andrew Melville Paterson (1862–1919) in Liverpool and Johnson Symington (1851–1924) in Belfast, to name a few. 26 Recent evidence points towards his far-reaching educational influence through Turner’s students, both directly and indirectly, in South Africa and Australia.…”