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Closeup of statue's face with tree leaves in the background

Sir James Young Simpson


The Sir James Young Simpson Memorial in Princes Street Gardens celebrates one of Edinburgh's most groundbreaking doctors. In 1847, Simpson made history by discovering chloroform's anaesthetic properties in his Queen Street dining room, where he and two colleagues famously knocked themselves out while his wife supervised. This breakthrough revolutionised surgery and childbirth forever.


As Professor of Midwifery at Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary since 1840, Simpson faced fierce opposition from the medical establishment when he introduced chloroform. However, when Queen Victoria used it during Prince Leopold's birth, it gained royal approval and widespread acceptance. His pioneering work earned him a knighthood in 1866 - the first ever awarded for medical services.


The Simpson memorial was designed by William Brodie and unveiled in 1877.