Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Marsh, Henry
MARSH, Sir HENRY (1790–1860), physician, was son of the Rev. Robert Marsh and his wife Sophia Wolseley, a granddaughter of Sir Thomas Molyneux, M.D. [q. v.], and was descended from Francis Marsh [q. v.], archbishop of Dublin in the reign of William III. He was born at Loughrea, co. Galway, in 1790, entered Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated B.A. in 1812, and then studied for holy orders. About 1814, however, he gave up the study of theology for that of medicine. He meant to be a surgeon, and was apprenticed to Sir Philip Crampton [q. v.], but in 1818 lost part of his right hand, owing to a dissecting wound, and thenceforward took to the medical side of his profession. On 13 Aug. 1818 he received the license of the Irish College of Physicians, and then studied in Paris. On his return to Dublin in 1820 he was elected assistant physician to Steevens Hospital, and in 1827 professor of medicine at the Dublin College of Surgeons. His private practice soon became large, and in 1832 compelled him to give up his professorship. He became a fellow of the King's and Queen's College of Physicians 29 Oct. 1839, and in 1840 graduated M.D. in the university of Dublin. In 1841, 1842, 1845, and 1846 he was president of the Irish College of Physicians. He was made physician in ordinary to the queen in Ireland in 1837, and in 1839 was created a baronet. He was an admirable clinical teacher, but his writings are deficient in lucidity. He published in 1822 ‘Cases of Jaundice with Dissections,’ and in 1838, 1839, and 1842 papers on ‘The Evolution of Light from the Living Human Subject.’ His ‘Clinical Lectures delivered in Steevens Hospital’ were edited in 1867 by Dr. James Stannus Hughes. He also wrote numerous papers in the ‘Dublin Hospital Reports’ and ‘Dublin Journal of Medical Science.’ Marsh died, after an illness of three hours, at his house in Merrion Square, Dublin, 1 Dec. 1860, and was buried in Mount Jerome cemetery. He married twice. Both his wives were widows. Mrs. Arthur, the first, bore him one son, who died a colonel in the army without issue.
A statue of Sir Henry, executed by Foley, is in the King's and Queen's College of Physicians in Dublin.
[Webb's Compendium of Irish Biography, 1878; Dublin University Magazine, No. 57; Dublin Medical Press, 2nd ser. 1860; Sir C. A. Cameron's Hist. of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 1886; Works.]