Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/De Morgan, Campbell Greig
DE MORGAN, CAMPBELL GREIG (1811–1876), surgeon, was born at Clovelly in Devonshire in 1811, the youngest of the three sons of Colonel De Morgan of the Indian army, Augustus [q. v.] being his elder brother. He was educated at University College, London, and afterwards at the Middlesex Hospital. In 1842 he became assistant-surgeon there, and full surgeon on the retirement of Mr. Tuson. In conjunction with Mr. John Tomes he contributed a valuable paper to the Royal Society on the ‘Development of Bone,’ which gained him the fellowship, and was printed in the ‘Philosophical Transactions’ for 1852. He wrote the article ‘Erysipelas’ in Holmes's ‘System of Surgery,’ 1860, and in 1872 a work on the ‘Origin of Cancer.’ This was a subject to which he had paid great attention, having studied it during thirty-four years in the special cancer wards of the Middlesex Hospital. The versatility of his powers was shown by the lectureships he successively held. In 1841 he lectured on forensic medicine; in 1845 he succeeded Mr. Tuson in the chair of anatomy; afterwards he lectured on physiology; and on the retirement of Mr. Shaw became sole lecturer on surgery. In addition to his professional attainments he was a thorough musician, and had considerable artistic taste and ability. Under a somewhat cold manner he possessed great kindness and warmth of heart, and his last act was one of devoted attention to his old friend, Lough the sculptor. After sitting up with him through the night, he returned home in the cold of an early morning and caught a fatal chill. He died on 12 April 1876.
[Lancet, 22 April 1876; private information.]