author
Sir Robert Christison
1797–1882
A pioneering Scottish physician and toxicologist, he helped shape forensic medicine in the 19th century through influential research, teaching, and expert courtroom work.
1 Audiobook
Treatise on Poisons In relation to medical jurisprudence, physiology, and the practice of physic
by Sir Robert Christison
About the author
Born in Edinburgh in 1797, Sir Robert Christison studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh and went on to become one of Scotland’s best-known physicians. He built an early reputation through his work on poisons and became an important figure in the development of toxicology and forensic medicine.
Christison spent much of his career connected to the University of Edinburgh, where he taught medical jurisprudence and later materia medica. He also served in major professional roles, including president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and was widely consulted in criminal investigations and medical controversies of his time.
Remembered as both a scientist and a public medical authority, he combined research, teaching, and practical expertise in a way that left a lasting mark on British medicine. He was later created a baronet, and he died in 1882.