James Dunsmure

James Dunsmure was educated at Edinburgh Academy and Edinburgh University where he graduated MB CM in 1867. As an undergraduate he lived at 53 Queen Street, next door to Sir James Simpson. After graduating he was House Surgeon to James Spence and subsequently studied at Vienna, Berlin and Prague. In 1870 he graduated MD when the title of his thesis was ‘Pathology and Treatment of Stricture of the Urethra’. He became a Licentiate of the College in 1867 and a Fellow in 1871.

After graduating he was House Surgeon to James Spence and he then joined his father in practice and ultimately succeeded him.

Midwifery and diseases of children formed the bulk of his practice. For ten years he was physician to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and he was obstetrician to the New Town Dispensary. He was appointed lecturer in diseases of children in the extramural school in 1880.

He was a Manager of the Royal Infirmary and one of the Governors of Donaldson's Hospital. He was elected President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1899 and 1900 and took an active part in the arrangements to celebrate the quatercentenary of the College. His father, also James Dunsmure, was President of the College from 1865 to 1867.