Dennis Embleton (1 Oct 1810 – 12 November 1900) was a Newcastle medical doctor and surgeon of the middle and late 19th century.
Early life Dennis Embleton was born in Newcastle on 1 October 1810.
His father, Thomas Embleton was born in East Chevington and his mother Anne (née Cawood) from Alwinton village, which is west of Alnwick and at the head of the River Coquet. He had an elder brother Thomas William Embleton, was trained as a mining engineer and moved in 1831 to Middleton, Leeds, to the position of colliery viewer
His father died in 1820, and Dennis and his brother Thomas were brought up by an uncle, George Hill, also a colliery viewer, of Kenton, Newcastle.
Both he and his brother Thomnas William were educated at Witton-le-Wear Grammar School, County Durham, under the Rev. George Newby.
Career After leaving Witton School, he started his apprenticeship on 23 April 1827, bound to a Mr. Thomas Leighton, the Senior Surgeon at Newcastle Infirmary for a period of five years, the cost of which to his guardian, was £500, not an inconsiderately sum in those days. He left Newcastle before the end of his apprenticeship, with the permission and consent of Mr. Leighton, to complete his studies in London at Guy's Hospital, St Thomas' Hospital, Grainger's anatomical school at Maze Pond (in London), and probably also at Pilcher's School of Anatomy.
He qualified in 1834. After working for around a year, he spent the next two years travelling mainly on foot around Europe, with another medical student, William Croser. They both spoke French and Italian very well. They journeyed to Paris, Strasbourg, Baden, Switzerland, over the Simplon Pass, Milan, Genoa, Rome, Bologna, Pisa, Florence, Venice, Trieste, Vienna, The Tyrol and back to Paris. All the time, in addition to seeing the sights, they visited numerous medical establishments, and at Pisa they petitioned the university, sat the examination for doctorate of medicine, passed and were granted diplomas on 14 September 1836
Marriage and family Embleton was married in 1847 in Whickham to Miss Elizabeth Turner (died 1869), who also had a great interest in nature and the sciences; they had three children. Their son was Dennis Cawood Embleton (b. 9 March 1854), MD, MRCS, who predeceased him by a few months at Bournemouth, where he had a large practice. Embleton also had two daughters, one married.
Embleton's grandson, also named Dennis Embleton (b 14 March 1881) L.R.C.P. (MRCS at Christ's College, Cambridge 1906), went into the medical profession.
Memberships and interests Vice-President of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne Vice-President of the Natural History Society of Newcastle Vice-President of the Antiquarian Society of Newcastle Involved with the new museum at Barras Bridge (later the Hancock Museum, and now Great North Museum) and presented them with many Natural History specimens A great interest in the regional dialect
Time line 1834 (18 June) – Admitted as a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons 1835 (16 April) – Admitted as a Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries 1835 (May) – He set off on his European Adventure 1836 – Finally ended his travels 1837 – Settled as physician in Newcastle upon Tyne 1839 (September) – Joined the Newcastle School of Medicine as Demonstrator of Practical Anatomy and Curator of the Museum 1850 – Commenced negotiations with Durham University for the medical school to become a college of Durham University 1852 – Appointed Reader in Medicine at the University of Durham 1853 – University of Durham admitted him to his M.D. degree by Diploma 1857 – Became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians 1870 – Appointed the first Professor of Medicine and of the Practice of Physic at University of Durham School of Medicine 1870 – Formal recognition of the College as 'University of Durham College of Medicine'. Denis Embleton was appointed in 1870 the first Professor of Medicine and of the Practice of Physic 1872 – Edward Charlton succeeded him, and thus his long tenure of office at Newcastle and Durham ceased after a period of thirty-three years. 1858 – 1872 – Representative of the University of Durham on the General Medical Council April 1853 – May 1878 – Physician to the Newcastle upon Tyne Infirmary from, when he became Consulting Physician. 1856–1873 – Physician to the Newcastle upon Tyne Dispensary and Fever House 1882 – President of the section of Sanitary Science and Preventive Medicine during the meeting of the Sanitary Science Congress in Newcastle.
Later life In 1898 Embleton had an accident, and two years later, at the age of 90 years, he died at his home, 19 Claremont Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, early on the morning of Monday 12 November 1900. He was buried in St Andrew's Cemetery, Newcastle
Legacy A portrait of Dennis Embleton accompanies his biography in The Lancet, and his photograph is in the Fellows' Album (1867)
Dialect Dennis Embleton had a keen interest in languages, and also in the local Geordie dialect. He wrote a document on the peculiarities of the local dialect in 1887, followed by a “canny little poem” called “The Ahd Pitman's Po'try tiv ees Marrah”. This poem appeared in the Newcastle Courant around 1890 with no indication of authorship, but Thomas Allan in his Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs attributed it to Embleton. This was later shown to be correct when details of his works were produced and printed with his bibliographical details in his official obituary.
Bibliography Includes :- Archaeologia Aeliana 1886 – Uude derivator Corstopitum Vole xi page 137 1887 – On certain Peculiarities of the Dialect in Newcastle upon Tyne and Northumberland Vol. xiii. p. 72 – see Local Dialect Dialogues section below 1891 – Barber-surgeons and chandlers of Newcastle. Journal office (different from that in the Archaeologia Aeliana, vol. xv. p. 228) – see sundry papers section below 1894 – Sidgate, Newcastle, the Swirle and the Lort Burn Vol xvii page 84 1896 – Ruins of Buildings once existing on the Quayside, Newcastle. Vol. xvii p. 258 Reports of the Newcastle and Gateshead Medical Society On tenderness and pain of the pneumogastric nerves. Three parts; 1855–1874 Two cases of insufficiency of abdominal wall. Plate 1856 On mesenteric disease ending in fatal haemorrhage 1857 A case of extroversion of bladder, etc. 1857 A case of diphtheria – operation – death. 1858 A case of cancer of stomach – sarcina ventr. 1868 Three cases of 'dropped hands' from lead 1859 Case of hydrothorax – paracentesis – recovery. 1860 A case of cancer of the stomach. 1561 A case of schirrhus of oesophagus. 1861 A case of stricture of oesophagus. 1861 Two cases of hydro-pneumo – thorax. 1861 Two cases of diseased kidney. 1862 Annual report of Fever Hospital for 1857–68 ditto. ditto. for 1861–62 A case of cyanosis. 1862 A case of diseased spleen. 1863 On the use of chlorate of potass. 1863 An account of a post mortem examination of an inveterate smoker of tobacco circa 1670 Translated from the Latin of Kerkringius. 1864 Report on a Turin monstrosity for Dr. Ellis. 1864 Report (annual) of Fever Hospital. 1864–65 On the cattle plague or typhus in Newcastle. 1865 A case of rupture of median line of abdomen in a male. 1867 A case of two fractured and united femora of an Ancient Briton. 1867 A case of occlusion of ductus comm. choledocus and rupture of gall bladder 1867 Case of aortic aneurism, pressing on the vena cava descendens and on the vena azygos 1868 Case of fractured skull with re-union in an Ancient Briton 1868 A case of aneurism of abdominal aorta 1869 A case of epilepsy – paralysis – recovery 1870 A case of salivary calculus 1870 Notes of a case of death from hydrate of chloral 1870 A case of hemiplegia and partial aphasia 1871 Sequel of a case of epilepsy 1871 A case of locomotor ataxy 1872 A case of hypertrophied heart 1873 Two cases of diabetes mellitus 1873 Oases of hydrophobia with remarks, etc. 1873 Magnetic iron ore in tea instead of iron filings 1874 Case of tumour (intracranial) at the base pressing on pons varolii, medulla oblongata and cerebellum. 1875 What is a generation of men ? 1875 Microscopical demonstration of Favus (Achorion Schoenleinii) 1875 A case of recto- vesical fistula in the male 1877 A case of psoriasis generalis 1877 A case of pyloric obstruction, etc. 1877 A case of acute pleuritis – hydrothorax – paracentesis – injection —recovery 1877 A case of aneurism of the aorta. 1880. Dr. R. Elliot's 1881 Vivisection and the Anti- Vivisection Acts 1881 Sea-sickness 1883 Address on the opening of the Durham College of Medicine 1890 The Newcastle Medical Society One Hundred Years ago, with biographical notices of the members, etc. 1891 Annual and Magazine of Natural History On the Anatomy of Eolis, Nudibranchiate Mollusk. Part 1, by Albany Hancock and D. Embleton. Five plates 1845 On the Anatomy of Eolis. Part 2. Two plates 1848 do. do. Part 3. do 1849 do. do. Part 4. do 1849 An Osteological Study. By D. E. and G. B. Richardson 1846 in Archaeological Journal On the Anatomy of Scyllaea, Nudibranchiate Mollusk. Report British Association. 1847. Albany Hancock and D. Embleton Transactions of the Tyneside Naturalist Field Club Vol. I p. 288 – Account of a Ribbon Fish (Gymnetrus) Two Plates By A. H. and D. E. July 1849 Vol. II p. 1 – Address to the members of the Tyneside Naturalists' Field Club on 22 March 1851 Vol. II p. 103 – On the two Species of Rat in England. Two plates 1850 Vol. II p. 110 – On the short Sunfish (Orthragoriscus Mola). One plate 1850 Vol. II p. 119 – Summary of Observations on the Anatomy of Doris, a Nudibranchiate Mollusk. By Albany Hancock and D. Embleton 1852 Vol IV p. 50 – Memorandum of the Occurrence of the Skeleton of the Bottle-nose whale (Hyperoodon butskopf Lacépède), and of the skull of the Grampus (Delphinus Orca, Cuvier), in the Bed of the Tyne 1858 Vol. V p. 196 – On the Skull and other Bones of Loxomma allmanni By D. E. and T. Atthey. 1874 Vol. VI p. 34 – Notes on a Tumulus at Grundstone Law, Northumberland By the Rev. W. .Greenwell and D. Embleton Natural History Transactions of Northumberland, Durham, and Newcastle-upon- Tyne Vol. I p. 143 – On an Ancient British burial at Ilderton, with Notes on the skull. By the Rev. W. Greenwell and D. Embleton Vol. I p. 324 – Notice of the Life of the late Joshua Alder, Esq Vol. V p. 118 – Memoir of the Life of Albany Hancock, F.L.S., etc. Vol. V p. 146 – On the Vendace Vol. VIL – Presidential Address on 7 May Vol. VII p. 43 – A Paper on Eggs Vol. VII p. 223. Memoir of the Life of Mr. W. C. Hewitson, F.L.S Vol. VIII – Note on the Birds seen at Nest House, Felling Shore, in May and June 1884; Note on the occurrence of Shrimps in the Tyne and Note on the capture of Tunnies and of a fine specimen of the *Bergylt' off the Tyne. June 1884 Vol. VIII – The Tyne, The Lort Burn, and The Skerne Vol. VIII – On the Spinal Column of Loxomma Allmanni Vol. IX – A Catalogue of Place-names in Teesdale Vol. X – Description of Stump-Cross Cavern [quoted in president's address pp. 190 Vol. XL – Memoir of the Life of John Hancock. 1891 Vol. XI p. 255. – On the Egg: lecture with introduction 1893 Other Publications 1847 — On the anatomy of Scylloea. British Association Reports, 1847– Part ii p. 77 1868 — Notes on whale caught at Newbiggin-on-Sea. [This is listed as being in the Nat. Mist. Trans., vol. vi, but cannot be found in that publication 1859 — The microscope and its uses : a newspaper report 1864 — Notes on anatomy of Chimpanzee. Nat. Hist. Review 1869 — Anniversary address of President, Northern Branch of the British Medical Association at Newcastle, 1869 1870 — Introductory address, section of medicine, annual meeting British Medical Association, Newcastle, 1870 1872 — Anomalies of arrangement, muscular, aiterial, nervous. Journal of