ALEXANDER MONRO, Secundus, M. D. the youngest of the three sons of Dr. Alexander Monro, Primus, and Isabella M'Donald, second daughter of Sir Donald M'Donald of M'Donald, in the Isle of Sky, Baronet, was born at Edinburgh on the 20th of March 1733. He acquired the first rudiments of classical litera ture under Mr. Mundell, a distinguished teacher in Edin burgh, whose kindness and exertions were long remem bered by his grateful scholars. His father, from a deep con viction that an intimate acquaintance with the principles of mathematical, physical and ethical knowledge, is the best preparation for medical enquiries, placed him under the tuition of his bosom friend, Colin Maclaurin, the Pro fessor of Mathematics, Dr. Stewart, and Sir John Prin gle. He did not commence the study of medicine un der his father before he had attained his eighteenth year, when an enthusiastic diligence and ardour soon made him a useful assistant in the dissecting room. It was here, like Cheselden, Haller, and Albinus, that he ob tained an accurate acquaintance with the structure and functions of the human body by constant dissection, the ouly sure basis on which medical and surgical improve ments can be founded.
He studied the various branches of medicine under Professors Rutherford, Sinclair, and Alston, and prose cuted his labours with such unremitting perseverance, that in the year 1753, at the age of twenty, he assist ed his father in his anatomical lectures.* He graduat ed in 1755, when his inaugural dissertation, De Testibus et Semine in variis ?inimalibus, displayed a minute know ledge of the physiology of these organs, and of the lym phatic system, which he afterwards investigated with so much success. His superiority as a demonstrator and lecturer induced the patrons of the University, in consequence of a petition from the father, to appoint him Professor of Anatomy and Surgery, on the 12th July 1755, and in the twenty•second year of his age.
Dr. Monro, Primus, manifested great solicitude in procuring testimonials, not only Ciotti the different pro fessors, but also front such students as attended the demonstrations of young Monro, with a view to satisfy the patrons, in the most effectual manner, of his son's diligence and talents.
When Dr. Monro, applied, on this occasion, to the Town Council, and presented the testimonials of his son's character and abilities, Mr. Stuart, son-in-law of the former professor of anatomy, Mr. Drummond, and senior magistrate during the absence of Provost Drum mond, at that time in Lyndon, told him, " he had no need or wish to inspect them. Tell me," said Mr. Stuart, " your own sentiments of him ; for I am sure every one will trust you rather than any other person." " As you refer to me, then," observed the Professor," you may believe me when I say, that if the world gives me credit for any ability or effect in promoting the charac ter and usefulness of the University, I think more highly of him than they can think of me." He seems also to have been induced, by an anxiety for the prosperity of the College, to select as a professor the younger son in preference to the elder, from a conviction that the na tural and acquired attainments of the former were better calculated to maintain the honour of the University than those of the latter.
Dr. Monro, Primus, being yet in the vigour of life, and an enthusiastic teacher of anatomy, sent his son to prosecute his studies under the most eminent professors at London, Paris, Berlin, and Leyden. Whilst the pupil of the celebrated Professor Meckel at Berlin, he resided in his family, and thus enjoyed all the advan tages of public and private instruction. In 1758, Dr. Mont•() published at the same place his Essay de Venis Lymphaticis Valvulosis, for the purpose of proving, more at large than in his Thesis, that the valvular lym phatics are one general system of absorbents. The first preparation of the Acoustic Nerve, and the most minute ramifications of the lacteals, were made by him during his residence with Dr. Meckel.