HOME | CONTACT

Scotland's historic and cosmopolitan capital, Edinburgh is one of the world's foremost tourist experiences. The tall narrow buildings and closes of the mediaeval Old Town, and the serene classical architecture of the Georgian New Town, are set within a dramatic topography of green hills and parks. To the north, the regenerated Leith Docks provides a waterfront ambience centred on the Royal Yacht Britannia.

The Symposium and the Instructional Course take place during the  Edinburgh International Arts Festival and Fringe, the world’s largest arts event, when the city is vibrant with drama, music, cabaret, and night life. The world-famous Military Tattoo is a very popular event which is usually sold out by the summer - buy your tickets on-line as early as possible.

There is no shortage of other attractions and places of interest - the Castle, Holyrood Palace, galleries and exhibitions. The city has a wealth of historic associations including those with many pioneers of medicine. Scotland was also the birthplace of golf, with many landscaped courses around the city. Eating out is no problem, with a wide range of restaurants and bistros to cater for all tastes, and more than 700 bars.

 Edinburgh is easily reached by air, road and rail, and is an ideal base  to explore other parts of Scotland.

There will be no formal evening event during the Symposium or Instructional Course as we have found that so many of the delegates wish to discover Edinburgh and its environs.

Festivals

The Symposium takes place in Scotland’s historic and cosmopolitan capital during August when the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, Book Festival, Film Festival and Television Festival all take place. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo is world famous. During this period the city never sleeps!

Sightseeing

Among the many visitor attractions, offering something for everyone are Dynamic Earth, the National Museum of Scotland and the Former Royal Yacht Britannia.  Interested in golf? Edinburgh and the Lothian have over 25 golf courses with many available to non-members.

A Golf Pass is also available from the Edinburgh Tourist Board, offering discounts. Eating out is no problem! You will be spoilt for choice, with a wide range of restaurants and bistros as well as over 700 bars.

Medical Edinburgh

Edinburgh has a long and distinguished history in medicine, with many advances pioneered in the city or by Edinburgh graduates.

Notable surgeons include John Hunter, anatomist and "founder of scientific surgery" in the late 18th century; Robert Liston, who performed the first operation under anaesthesia (ether) in 1846; and Sir James Simpson, who discovered chloroform the following year, by  testing it on his dinner guests until they slid under the table! Other "firsts" include Charles Bell, who identified the nerve functions in 1811 and founded the science of neurology; James Syme, pioneer of plastic surgery; the first hypodermic syringe (Alexander Wood 1853); gynaecologist Robert Tait who replaced Lister's antiseptic approach with aseptic methods; Thomas Brunton, discoverer of amyl nitrite for angina.

There were many other advances, including in ophthalmology, forensics and psychology. In the early days, anatomy students had difficulty obtaining sufficient subjects for dissection, and the need was filled by grave robbers  the "resurrectionists".

In 1829 Messrs Burke and Hare streamlined the process by murdering and then selling their victims directly to the unquestioning University's surgical department. 

Some Edinburgh doctors gained fame in other fields. Joseph Bell, University lecturer and President of the Royal College of Surgeons, is better known as the inspiration for Sherlock Holmes in the writings of his student and one time GP, Arthur Conan Doyle. Early doctors were exclusively male, but some strong-minded Victorian women were determined to break the barriers. Two such were Elsie Inglis, active in women's rights and in establishing troop care in the Great War; and Sophia Jex-Blake, whose agitation forced parliament to make universities grant degrees to women students. However, the world's first qualified woman doctor had trained in Edinburgh almost a century earlier, simply by dressing as a man.  "James" Miranda Barry kept her secret through a distinguished career as a naval surgeon until her death in 1865.

The pioneering trail continues through Alexander Fleming, discoverer of penicillin (1928) and anti-typhoid vaccines, the UK's first successful kidney transplant (Michael Woodruff, 1960) and the cloning of the famous Dolly the Sheep (Ian Wilmut, 1996). Today, Edinburgh is still a centre of excellence and her medical graduates are found in all parts of the world.

Webdesign © SORT-IT 2007