Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Estlin, John Bishop

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843208Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 18 — Estlin, John Bishop1889Norman Moore

ESTLIN, JOHN BISHOP (1785–1855), surgeon, son of John Prior Estlin [q. v.], who kept a famous school in a large house at the top of St. Michael's Hill, Bristol, was born there on 26 Dec. 1785. He was educated in his father's school, and began his professional studies at the Bristol Infirmary in 1804. He continued them at Guy's Hospital, London, became a member of the College of Surgeons of London in 1806, and, after further study at the university of Edinburgh, settled in practice in his native town in 1808. He attained success, and, having special interest in ophthalmic surgery, gradually restricted his practice to that department as far as he could. In 1812 he established in Frogmore Street, Bristol, a dispensary for the treatment of diseases of the eye. This charity he maintained for more than a year at his own cost, and afterwards managed its affairs for thirty-six years, and himself treated fifty-two thousand poor patients. He kept careful notes of his cases, and published papers on ‘Amaurosis’ in ‘Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal,’ 1815, on ‘Cataract’ in ‘London Medical Gazette,’ 1829, on ‘Cysticercus Cellulosæ on the Sclerotica’ in ‘London Medical Gazette,’ 1838 and 1840, on ‘One Hundred Cases of Operation for Strabismus’ in ‘Provincial Medical and Surgical Journal,’ vol. ii., on ‘Pretended Cure of Cataract’ (ib. vol. v.), on ‘Injuries of the Iris’ (ib. vol. vi.) His reputation as an ophthalmic surgeon spread, and he became one of the first of his period in England in that department of practice, and in 1843 was elected a fellow of the College of Surgeons of England, when that body received the charter under which it is at present governed. In 1817 he married Margaret Bagehot, aunt of Walter Bagehot [q. v.]; she died four years later, leaving an only daughter. His health was not robust, and in 1832 he visited the island of St. Vincent, where the warm climate restored him. He obtained and circulated in 1838 a fresh supply of vaccine lymph from cows near Berkeley, Gloucestershire, the region in which Jenner had originally made his discovery of the efficacy of vaccination in the prevention of smallpox. Besides this important service Estlin rendered many others to the public in regard to temperance, to the abolition of slavery, to the instruction of the poor, to the maintenance of religious toleration, and the suppression of medical impostures. In 1845 he published ‘Remarks on Mesmerism,’ a lucid exposition of the scientific method of investigating phenomena said to be due to hidden forces of nature. He was a unitarian with definite theological opinions, and wrote in favour of the christian miracles and ‘On Prayer and Divine Aid,’ 1825. He was always generous, but nevertheless grew rich, and became, by force of upright character and professional skill, one of the most trusted men in Bristol. He had an attack of right hemiplegia in May 1853, died 10 June 1855, and was buried in the Lewin's Mead burying-ground, Bristol. In the adjoining meeting-house are monumental tablets for him and his wife.

[Bristol Mirror, 16 June 1855; information from his daughter; William James's Memoir, 1855; Works; monument at Bristol; London and Provincial Med. Directory, 1847.]

N. M.