COMBE, M.D., brother of the following, was b. in Edinburgh, Oct. 27, 1797. lie studied medicine there and at Paris, and in 1823 commenced to practice in his native city. In 1836, he received the appointment of physician in ordinary to the king of the Belgians, but his delicate health prevented him from retaining this office; and on returning from Brussels, lie continued to act only as consulting-physiciAn to his majesty. Afterwards, he became one of the physicians in ordinary to queen Victoria in Scotland. He died at Edinburgh, Aug. 9, 1847. His principal works are—Observations on Mental Derangement (1831); The Principles of Physiology applied to the Preservation of Health, etc. (1834; 15th ed. 1860); The Physiology of Digestion considered with Relation to the Principles of Dietetics (1836; 10th ed. 1860); and The Management of infancy, Physiological and Moral (1840. 9th ed. 1860), revised by sir James Clark; 10th ed. 1870). Mild, benevolent, and wise, Andrew C. obtained the esteem and admiration of all who could appreciate purity and excellence of character. In his Life and Correspondence, published by George Combe in 1850, we find not only a vivid picture of the man, but an example of patient adherence to physiological principles in the treatment of a deli cate constitution, with the result of prolonging a useful life far beyond what he had ventured to hope for. The record of the means by which lie combated a serious pul
monary disease for nearly 30 years at home and abroad, is calculated to be highly instructive to persons similarly afflicted. His death was probably hastened by exposure to the poisonous air of an emigrant ship, in which lie made a voyage to America: the experience gained on this occasion led him'to proclaim, through the Times, the urgent necessity of a law regulating the sanitary arrangements in emigrant vessels. The long letter which he wrote on this subject appeared on Sept. 17, 1847, a month after his death, and erelong the act 12 and 13 Viet. c. 23, provided a remedy for the evil. Dr. C. also exerted himself successfully for the improvement of medical education. A list of his contributions to the Phrenological Journal and the British and Foreign Medical Review is appended to his Life. His character as a man, a physician, and a writer, is affectionately depicted by his friend sir James Clark, in an introduction to the 9th edi tion of The Management of Infancy.