author
Sir Erasmus Wilson
1809–1884
A pioneering Victorian surgeon and skin specialist, he helped establish dermatology as a serious medical field in Britain. He was also known for philanthropy on a grand scale, including funding the transport of Cleopatra’s Needle to London.
2 Audiobooks
Cleopatra's needle : with brief notes on Egypt and Egyptian obelisks
by Sir Erasmus Wilson
About the author
Born in London in 1809, Sir Erasmus Wilson — formally Sir William James Erasmus Wilson — trained in medicine at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and became one of the best-known English surgeons of his day. He is especially remembered as an early specialist in diseases of the skin, and his textbooks and atlases helped bring dermatology to a wider professional audience.
Wilson built a large reputation through medical writing, teaching, and clinical work. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and later received a baronetcy, reflecting the standing he achieved in Victorian medicine. Beyond his medical career, he was also a major benefactor, supporting causes in education, health, and public life.
One of the most memorable episodes connected with his name is his financial support for bringing Cleopatra’s Needle from Egypt to London. That mix of medical influence, public generosity, and unmistakably Victorian ambition has kept his story alive long after his death in 1884.