| Notes |
- Professor of Mat. Med., Glasgow Univ.
From an article on the Glasgow medical faculty:
John Black Cowan (1828-1896)
Cowan succeeded Easton in 1865 but poor health ended his professional career at the early age of 51, and so his life was a story of promise unfulfilled. Born into a family with a long history of medical practice in Glasgow, after the almost mandatory travel round the medical schools of Europe, he was one of a small band of young Glasgow graduates, including G.H.B. Macleod and G. Buchanan, who served as civil practitioners in the Crimea. From 1856 to 1865 he held appointments in medical jurisprudence and medicine in Anderson?s
College, the training school for many University professors, and enjoyed a large private practice.
His special interest was diseases of children and he had College but soon turned to obstetrics and, from 1860 onwards, contributed papers on this subject to the Glasgow Medical Journal; the most important was entitled ?The Mechanism of Parturition? published in three parts. This established his reputation as a man of mark in the profession and in 1868 he was an obvious choice for the Regius Chair of Midwifery on the death of Dr Pagan.
At this time, midwifery lacked a good textbook in the English language and Leishman devoted himself to correcting the shortcoming. His System of Midwifery (1870) enjoyed great success, reaching fourth English and third American editions in 1888. It earned praise not just as a medical work, but as a model of fluent clear language. A great reader of varied literature both English and foreign, especially French and German, his love of letters was reflected in his lectures which were concise and interesting with a distinct scholarly flavour.
Professionally a strong advocate of the influence of nature in the cure of disease, he was opposed to meddling interference in obstetrics.
- (Research):Will of John Black Cowan, doctor of medicine and of laws Emeritus Professor of Materia Medica at Glasgow University, res at 9 Woodside Terr., Glasgow, was conceived 19 Sep 1895 at Dundhu, Aberfoyle, and registered 6 Aug 1896 at Edinburgh (scotlandspeople). Trustees were: William Alston (St. Andrews Hse, Ayr), Alexander Sholto Douglas (W.S., Edinburgh), sons Robert William (rancher, Alberta, Canada), James William Alston (Lieut H.M. Regt Highland Light Infantry), John Marshall (B. Med., Glasgow). John's marriage contracts with wives Mary Anne Stokes and Anne Boleyn Buchanan Alston and the contract of dau Anne Marion Cross Bannatyne nee Cowan with Dugald Bannatyne (chartd accountant, Glasgow) were mentioned. Other benefactors: daughters Mary and Margaret (both unm), grandson John Robert Cowan. Mary inherited her mother's portrait by Sir F.W. Burton; Margaret inherited a silver teaservice (Boar's Head) from the mother of John; son Robert inherited a silver teapot from John, founder of Cowan's Hospital. A codicil (1896) was witnessed by Miss Marion Cross Buchanan of Woodend Cottage, Helensburgh (scotlandspeople).
Married: 1 Jun 1864 in Blythswood, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland Anne Bolling Buchanan Alston b: 13 Jul 1827 in Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Children
Has No Children Anne Marion Cross Cowan b: 12 Mar 1865 in Blythswood, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Has No Children Alexander Mc Caul Cowan b: 6 Apr 1866 in Old Kilpatrick, Dunbarton, Scotland
Has No Children James William Alston Cowan b: 19 Sep 1868 in Row, Dunbarton, Scotland
Has Children John Marshall Cowan b: 22 May 1870 in Row, Dunbarton, Scotland
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1829 - 1896 (66 years)
