Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 1155

ROBERT WILLAN (1757-1812) On cutaneous diseases. Vol. 1. Printed for J. Johnson 1808 [4] 556 pp., 34 (misnumbered 33) col. plates. 26.5 cm.

Willan was the son of a physician and received his medical education at Edinburgh, graduating in 1780. By 1782 he was settled in London where he practiced and taught for his entire professional career. Although he was an active clinician and made contributions in several areas of medicine, Willan's most important work was in dermatology and he is considered to be one of the modern founders of that field. The nomenclature system he devised to classify skin diseases is still largely in use today. He included eight categories which were based on the appearance of the skin: papular, squamous, exanthematous, bullous, vesicular, pustular, tubercular and macular. Willan intended the present work to be the first volume in a definitive series on dermatology. Unfortunately, it was the only volume he was able to complete before his death. His able pupil, Thomas Bateman (see No. 1334 ff.), continued Willan's work and published it in 1813.

See Related Record(s): 1334

Cited references: Cushing W194 (Philadelphia ed., 1809); Garrison-Morton 3985; Waller 10306

Gift of John Martin, M.D.