title: The life and times of James Jeffray, Regius Professor of Anatomy, University of Glasgow 1790-1848.
abstract: James Jeffray, Regius Professor of Anatomy at Glasgow University from 1790 -1848, worked at a time when the only legal support of material for dissection was the bodies of hanged criminals. The Napoleonic Wars created a large demand for anatomical teaching and Jeffray saw the height of the body-snatching era. At Glasgow University, Jeffray supervised the establishment of the Hunterian Museum, negotiated a separate Chair of Botany and was a prime mover in founding the Botanic Gardens. The fetal circulation was a special interest and he is remembered as the inventor of the chain saw, which he designed from a watch chain for use in excision of diseased joints in an effort to prevent amputation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Anatomy, University of Glasgow.
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: McDonald
mesh_terms: D000715:Anatomy / Q000266:history; D005180:Faculty, Medical / Q000266:history; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D012606:Scotland