MONRO, M. D. ALEXANDER, the son of Mr. John Monro, was born at London on the 19th Septem ber 1697, and descended, by his father, from the family of Monro of Milton, and by his mother from that of Forbes of Culloden. John Monro, the younger son of Sir Alexander Munro of Beareroft, colonel in the army of King Charles at the battle of Worcester, and after wards one of the principal clerks of the Court of Ses sion, served for some years as a military surgeon under King William, in Flanders. Retiring from the army about the commencement of the last century, he estab lished himself at Edinburgh, where his enlarged know ledge, unremitting attention, and agreeable manners, soon introduced him to an extensive practice. At the same time, professional engagements did not prevent him from attending to the education of an only son, whose early inclination to the study of medicine contri buted to strengthen the desire he had long felt to supply the want of medical instruction in Edinburgh.
Mr. Monro, after receiving an excellent classical and mathematical education, and completing the usual course of academical studies, was bound an apprentice to his father, who procured him books necessary for his pri vate studies, and a chemical apparatus for the purpose of repeating at home the experiments performed by Dr. Crawford, in illustration of his lectures on chemistry. Ile was entrusted with the sick pensioners under the charge of his parent, and permitted by the rest of the physicians and surgeons to attend many of their patients, who were affected with rare and dangerous diseases. He accurately examined the pharmaceutical plants, ex hibited by Mr. George Preston ; and availed himself of the means afforded by Messrs. Elliot, Drummond and M'Gill, the professors of anatomy, for observing the few occasional dissections which occurred in Edinburgh. The medical world, therefore, is much indebted for the valuable fruits produced by the subsequent labours of Mr. Monro, to the care with which the germs of his youthful mind were nurtured and developed by the com bined assistance of his excellent father and the other dis tinguished practitioners in Edinburgh.
After completing the regular term of his apprentice ship, together with the usual studies in Edinburgh, he went to London in the year 1717, for the purpose of attending the lectures on experimental philosophy by Professors Hawksbee and \Vhiston, and the anatomical demonstrations by the illustrious Cheselden. It appears from the second edition of Mr. Cheselden's works, in 1726, that in consequence of Mr. Monro's communica tions, he had altered and improved almost every part of his anatomy. In London he was supplied with great op portunities for dissection, in which he acquired a dexterity and accuracy that laid the foundation of his future cele brity as an anatomist. The pupils of Cheselden were encouraged, by being allowed the use of his theatre, to form a society for mutual instruction, where they alter nately gave lectures concerning the structure and uses of the different organs of the body ; on which occasions young Monro frequently acted as demonstrator to his fel low-students. The ardour with which he pursued dis section in London endangered his life, by an attack aris ing from inoculation with morbid matter. He was also very industrious in forming anatomical preparations, which he sent to his father, by whom they were deposit ed in the museum of curiosities at Surgeons' Hall ; and their great excellence induced Mr. Adam Drummond to promise his father, that if the future attainments of his son corresponded with such early exertions, he would, on the completion of his studies, resign the anatomical chair in his favour.
In 1718, he attended the hospitals in Paris, and the lectures of Chomel on botany and chemistry, of Gre goire on midwifery, Cessau on bandages, and those of Bouquet on anatomy. He performed, under the super intendance of M. Thibaut, the different operations of sur gery, and was particularly attentive to morbid dissec tions.