# List of office bearers of the Harveian Society of Edinburgh and Harveian Orations

The Harveian Society of Edinburgh elects a President on an annual basis. The Society has two Secretaries who are appointed for an unlimited term of office. The following sections list the office bearers of the Society and the Harveian Orations in chronological order. Four Harveian Orations were delivered prior to formation of the Society and from 1782 to 1831 the Oration was given at irregular intervals at the Harveian Festival and generally by one of the Secretaries. Since then the Harveian Orations have generally been delivered annually by the President.

## Harveian Orations before the Society was formed

| Year | Harveian Orator | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1778 | Dr. Andrew Duncan | "De laudibus Gulielmi Harvei Oratio" |
| 1779 | Dr. Charles Webster | "Life and writings of the celebrated Dr. Archibald Pitcairne" |
| 1780 | Dr. Andrew Duncan | "Life and writings of the late Alex. Monro, Senr., M.D., F.R.S." |
| 1781 | Dr. Andrew Duncan | "Life, writings and character of the late Dr. Robert Whytt" |

## 1780s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1780s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1782 | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Dr. Andrew Duncan | | No oration |
| 1783 | Mr. Alexander Wood | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Dr. Charles Webster | No oration |
| 1784 | Mr. Thomas Hay | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Dr. Charles Webster | "Life, writings and character of the late Dr. David Macbride of Dublin." Orator: Dr. Andrew Duncan |
| 1785 | Dr Alexander Monro "Secundus" | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Dr. Charles Webster | "Life, writings and character of the late Sir John Pringle, Baronet." Orator: Dr. Charles Webster |
| 1786 | Mr. William Inglis | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Dr. Charles Webster | No oration |
| 1787 | Dr. Daniel Rutherford | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Dr. Charles Webster | "The life, writings and character of the late Dr. John Gregory." Orator: Dr. Charles Webster |
| 1788 | Mr. Andrew Wood | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Dr. Charles Webster | "Life, writings and character of the late Dr. John Hope, Professor of Botany in the University of Edinburgh." Orator: Dr. Andrew Duncan |
| 1789 | Dr. Nathan Spens | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Dr. Charles Webster | No oration |

## 1790s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1790s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1790 | Mr. Forrest Dewar | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Dr. Charles Webster | No oration |
| 1791 | Dr. James Hamilton 'Senior' | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Dr. Charles Webster | No oration |
| 1792 | Mr. Benjamin Bell | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Dr. Charles Webster | No oration |
| 1793 | Dr. Francis Home | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Dr. Charles Webster | No oration |
| 1794 | Dr. Andrew Wardrop | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Dr. Charles Webste | No oration |
| 1795 | Mr. Thomas Wood | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Dr. Charles Webster | "The life, writings and character of the late John Hunter, Esq., Surgeon of London." Orator: Dr William Brown |
| 1796 | Dr. William Farquharson | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1797 | Dr. Andrew Inglis | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1798 | Dr. James Home | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1799 | Dr. William Brown | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |

## 1800s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1800s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1800 | Dr. Thomas Charles Hope | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1801 | Mr. George Wood | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1802 | Mr. James Bryce | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | "Account of Vesalius." Orator: Dr. William Farquharson |
| 1803 | Mr. Alexander Wood* | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1804 | Mr. Andrew Wood* | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1805 | Dr. William Farquharson* | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1806 | Dr. James Home* | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1807 | Dr. John Walker | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1808 | Dr. Thomas Spens | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1809 | Mr. George Wood* | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
* Denotes that the individual was serving as President for the second time

## 1810s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1810s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1810 | Dr. Thomas Anderson | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1811 | Dr. Andrew Duncan "The Younger" | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1812 | Dr. Thomas Cochrane | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1813 | Dr. Charles Anderson | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1814 | Mr. Forrest Dewar* | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. John Bell | No oration |
| 1815 | Dr. John Barclay | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. James Bryce | No oration |
| 1816 | Dr. Thomas Charles Hope* | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. James Bryce | No oration |
| 1817 | Mr. John Wishart | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. James Bryce | No oration |
| 1818 | Dr. Daniel Rutherford* | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. James Bryce | "Life, writings and character of Dr. Munro, Sec." Orator: Dr Andrew Duncan |
| 1819 | Dr. John Barclay* | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. James Bryce | No oration |
* Denotes that the individual was serving as President for the second time

## 1820s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1820s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1820 | Mr. Alexander Gillespie | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. James Bryce | No oration |
| 1821 | Mr. William Wood | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. James Bryce | "A short account of the late Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society of London." Orator: Dr Andrew Duncan |
| 1822 | Dr. James Buchan | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. James Bryce | No oration |
| 1823 | Mr. William Newbigging | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. James Bryce | No oration |
| 1824 | Dr. George Ballingall | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. James Bryce | "Tribute of regard to the memory of Sir Henry Raeburn." Orator: Dr Andrew Duncan |
| 1825 | Dr. Robert Graham | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Mr. James Bryce | "Tribute to the memory of the late Dr. Matthew Baillie of London." Orator: Dr Andrew Duncan |
| 1826 | Dr. George Borthwick | Dr. Andrew Duncan | | No oration |
| 1827 | Dr. John MacWhirter | Dr. Andrew Duncan | | No oration |
| 1828 | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Andrew Duncan | Dr. Richard Huie | "Tribute to the memory of the late Dr. James Millar, a Member of the Society." Orator: Dr Richard Huie (read in absentia) |
| 1829 | Dr. Robert Hamilton | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. William Moncrieff§ | "Tribute of respect for the memory of the late Dr. Andrew Duncan, snr., Founder of the Society." Orator: Dr Richard Huie |
§ Dr. Moncrieff was appointed physician to the New Town Dispensary, Edinburgh on 1 December 1817 and physician to the Royal Public Dispensary in January 1822. On 12 December 1823 he applied for the vacant position of physician to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. In 1827, Dr. Moncrieff was Librarian of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

## 1830s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1830s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1830 | Dr. George Ballingall* | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. William Moncrieff§ | "The life and professional labours of the illustrious Harvey." Orator: Dr Richard Huie |
| 1831 | Dr. John Campbell | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. William Moncrieff | No oration |
| 1832 | Dr. Richard Huie* | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. William Moncrieff | "Progress of medical science in the last fifty years." |
| 1833 | Dr. David Maclagan | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. William Moncrieff | No oration |
| 1834 | Dr. William Alison | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. William Moncrieff | "A few remarks on Medical Education." |
| 1835 | Dr. Adam Hunter | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Richard Poole | No oration |
| 1836 | Dr. William Moncrieff | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Richard Poole | "Memoir of the late Dr. James Buchan, F.R.C.P." Orator: Dr. David Maclagan |
| 1837 | Dr. Robert Christison | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Richard Poole | "Memoir of the late Dr. Edward Turner, Professor of Chemistry in London University." |
| 1838 | Mr. William Newbigging* | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Peter Handyside | "Memoir of the late Dr. James Hamilton Sen. M.D." |
| 1839 | Dr. William Beilby | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Peter Handyside | "Biographical notice of the late Dr. Kellie of Leith." |
* Denotes that the individual was serving as President for the second time
§Dr. Moncrieff was appointed physician to the New Town Dispensary, Edinburgh on 1 December 1817 and was appointed physician to the Royal Public Dispensary in January 1822. On 12 December 1823 he applied for a vacant position of physician to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. In 1827, Dr. Moncrieff was Librarian of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

## 1840s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1840s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1840 | Dr. Robert Lewins | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Peter Handyside | "Medical Science in Austria compared with Great Britain." |
| 1841 | Dr. James Simson | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Peter Handyside | "Memoir of the late Dr. Duncan, jnr." |
| 1842 | Dr. Thomas Traill | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Peter Handyside | "Note of Servetus' claims to the discovery of the circulation of the blood, together with an account of the Finnish and Russian vapour baths." |
| 1843 | Dr. John Thatcher | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Peter Handyside | "Sketch of the history of Midwifery as a Science and an Art." |
| 1844 | Mr. William Brown | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Peter Handyside | "Sketch of the Life of his father, Dr Wm Brown, F.R.C.S."§ |
| 1845 | Mr. Alexander Cockburn R.N. | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Peter Handyside | "Biographical sketch of the late Dr. Thomas Trotter, Physician to the British Fleet." |
| 1846 | Dr. Charles Ransford | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Peter Handyside | "Biographical sketch of Dr. Graham, late Professor of Botany." |
| 1847 | Dr. John Scott | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Peter Handyside | "Biographical memoir of Laennec." |
| 1848 | Dr. James Young Simpson | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Peter Handyside | "Sketch of the good old times of the medical profession in Scotland." |
| 1849 | Dr. Samuel Pagan | Dr. Richard Huie | Dr. Peter Handyside | "Notes of a case - tic douloureux - by John Locke, with an account of his medical studies and practice." Orator: Dr. John Brown |
§ Dr. William Brown Senior was President of the Society in 1799 and a booklet on his life, which presumably formed the basis of this oration, was published originally in 1819 and reprinted in 1854.

## 1850s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1850s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1850 | Dr. John Smith | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. John Hughes Bennett | "Account of Scotch Asylums." |
| 1851 | Dr. Richard Smith | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. John Hughes Bennett | "Progress of cholera during the last epidemic at Lasswade and Loanhead." |
| 1852 | Prof. John Balfour | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. John Hughes Bennett | "History and progress of the Botanic Garden of Edinburgh." |
| 1853 | Dr. William Seller | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. John Hughes Bennett | "History, in a medical point of view, of the year 1654, the year in which Harvey, towards the close of his life, was elected President of the London College of Physicians." |
| 1854 | Dr. Douglas Maclagan | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. John Hughes Bennett | "Life, character and writings of the late Dr. Abercrombie of Edinburgh." |
| 1855 | Mr. James Craig | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. John Hughes Bennett | "Judicial investigations in criminal cases." |
| 1856 | Dr. Robert Malcolm | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. John Hughes Bennett | "Rise and progress of the Edinburgh School of Midwifery." |
| 1857 | Dr.Archibald Inglis | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. John Hughes Bennett | "The difficulty of estimating the therapeutical value of medicinal agents." |
| 1858 | Mr. Henry Sanderson | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. John Hughes Bennett | "Changes in medical opinions." |
| 1859 | Dr. John Hughes Bennett | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. William Seller | "Recent medical changes, especially in the Department of Physiology." |

## 1860s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1860s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1860 | Professor James Miller | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. William Seller | "Appreciation of the character of Harvey." |
| 1861 | Dr. Charles Bell | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. William Seller | "Obstetrics, commencing with the time of Harvey." |
| 1862 | Dr. John Lucas | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. William Seller | "On the natural history of progress." |
| 1863 | Dr. William Dumbreck | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. William Seller | "Respiration and circulation in the lower animals." |
| 1864 | Dr. John Coldstream | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. William Seller | No Harveian Festival and no oration§ |
| 1865 | Dr. John M. Strachan | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. William Seller | "Origin of the vital forces." |
| 1866 | Dr. Andrew Halliday Douglas | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. William Seller | "The late Prof. Alison." |
| 1867 | Mr. Benjamin Bell | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. William Seller | "Biographical sketch of the late Mr. Hey of Leeds." |
| 1868 | Dr. Alexander Wood | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. William Seller | "Preliminary medical education." |
| 1869 | Dr. James Dunsmure | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. William Seller | "Biographical memoir of the late Sir George Ballingall." |
§ The Harveian Festival of 1864 was cancelled following the death of the Society's President Dr. John Coldstream.

## 1870s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1870s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1870 | Prof. William Gairdner | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. James Gillespie | "Olla Podridas." |
| 1871 | Prof. James Spence | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. James Gillespie | "Biographical notice of Dr. Bell, Surgeon, of Edinburgh." |
| 1872 | Dr. Matthew Turnbull | Dr. James Gillespie | Professor William Sanders | "Celebrated Border surgeons." |
| 1873 | Dr. Robert Paterson | Dr. James Gillespie | Professor William Sanders | "Life of the late Prof. Syme." |
| 1874 | Dr. Robert Omond | Dr. James Gillespie | Professor William Sanders | "Early history of the Society." |
| 1875 | Dr. William S. Irvine | Dr. James Gillespie | Professor William Sanders | "Medical notes about Shakespere and his time." Orator: Dr. James Gillespie$^a$ |
| 1876 | Dr. James Matthews Duncan | Dr. James Gillespie | Professor William Sanders | "Life and writings of William Hunter." |
| 1877 | Prof. Alexander Harvey | Dr. James Gillespie | Professor William Sanders | "William Pulteney Anderson." |
| 1878 | Professor William Turner in absentia | Dr. James Gillespie | Professor William Sanders | "William Harvey." Orator: Professor William Sanders$^b$ |
| 1879 | Dr. Henry Scott Anderson in absentia | Dr. James Gillespie | Professor William Sanders | "Reminiscences of forty-five years of country practice."$^c$ |
$^a$According to Dr MacGillivray in his oration of 1912, Dr Irvine of Pitlochry "presided over the dinner enjoyed the feast, but absolutely refused to give an oration...Dr Gillespie one of the Secretaries was obliged to take Dr Irvine's place and at short notice to deliver the oration."
$^b$Professor William Sanders was also in the Chair.
$^c$Dr. Rutherford Haldane took the chair and Dr. Anderson's oration was read by Dr. James Gillespie.

## 1880s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1880s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1880 | Dr. Daniel Rutherford Haldane | Dr. James Gillespie | Professor William Sanders | "Progress of medicine during the last thirty years." |
| 1881 | Dr. Henry D. Littlejohn | Dr. James Gillespie | Professor William Sanders | "Sanitary progress." |
| 1882 | Prof. Douglas Maclagan* | Dr. James Gillespie | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | Centenary: no oration |
| 1883 | Dr. John Connel | Dr. James Gillespie | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | "Professional progress." |
| 1884 | Dr. Alexander Keiller | Dr. James Gillespie | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | "Reminiscences of the medical profession in Edinburgh fifty years ago."§ |
| 1885 | Dr. Patrick Heron Watson | Dr. James Gillespie | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | No oration |
| 1886 | Dr John Aymers MacDougall | Dr. James Gillespie | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | "The life work of Prof. James Spence." |
| 1887 | Dr. George Balfour | Dr. James Gillespie | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | "Recent progress in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of cardiac disease." |
| 1888 | Dr. John Smith | Dr. James Gillespie | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | "The days of Harvey." |
| 1889 | Prof. James Bell Pettigrew | Dr. James Gillespie | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | "The pioneers in medicine prior to Harvey." |
* Serving as President for the second time
§ This Festival occurred during the tercentenary week of the University of Edinburgh and was held at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

## 1890s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1890s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1890 | Dr. Alexander Peddie | Dr. James Gillespie | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | "Mr. Syme, Dr.John Brown and Minto House." |
| 1891 | Dr. James Gillespie in absentia | Dr. James Gillespie | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | No oration |
| 1892 | Dr. John Strachan, Jnr. | Dr. James Gillespie | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | "The blood is the life." |
| 1893 | Prof. Thomas Grainger Stewart | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | Dr. Francis Cadell§ | "Illnesses of celebrated people in former times." |
| 1894 | Prof. John Struthers | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | Dr. Francis Cadell | "Harvey and his work." |
| 1895 | Dr. David Yellowlees | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | Dr. Francis Cadell | "Effect on the treatment of the sane of the example of Tuke of York and Fox of Brislington." |
| 1896 | Dr. Robert Peel Ritchie | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | Dr. Francis Cadell | "Days and knights of the Harveian." |
| 1897 | Dr. Joseph Bell | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | Dr. Francis Cadell | "Some Harveian Gleanings." |
| 1898 | Dr. Alexander Ballantyne | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | Dr. Francis Cadell | "Harvey and embryology." |
| 1899 | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | Dr. Francis Cadell | "Dr. John Mayow." |
§ Cadell was a surgeon and father of the Scottish Colourist Francis Cadell.

## 1900s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1900s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1900 | Prof. Thomas Annandale | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | Dr. Francis Cadell$^a$ | "Transfusion." |
| 1901 | Dr. Robert Farquharson | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | Dr. Francis Cadell | "Harvey and modern progress." |
| 1902 | Dr. J.J. Kirk Duncanson | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | Dr. Francis Cadell | "Harvey: his life and times." |
| 1903 | Prof. John Chiene | Dr. Alexander Crum Brown | Dr. Francis Cadell | "The early days of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary."$^b$ |
| 1904 | Dr. Robert Somerville | Dr.Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | "Recollections of the Edinburgh School of 1855." |
| 1905 | Dr. Charles Underhill | Dr.Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | "The writings of Harvey."$^c$ |
| 1906 | Sir John Halliday Croom | Dr.Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | "The times of Harvey." |
| 1907 | Dr. William Barrie Dow | Dr.Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | "The relationship between Syphilis and Tuberculosis (unpublished)." |
| 1908 | Sir Thomas Clouston | Dr.Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | "Blood and mind." |
| 1909 | Dr. William A. Finlay in absentia$^d$ | Dr.Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | No oration |
$^a$Cadell was a surgeon and father of the Scottish Colourist Francis Cadell.
$^b$Chiene published an article on this topic in 1902.
$^c$The article cited here is to toast to the Immortal Memory of Harvey proposed by Underhill during the Festival, rather than the oration itself.
$^d$Dr Finlay was prevented by illness from attending the Festival and Sir Thomas Clouston took the chair.

## 1910s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1910s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1910 | Dr. John Strachan, Jnr.* | Dr. Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | "Cell life and the life cell in animal physiology." |
| 1911 | Sir Alexander Simpson | Dr. Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | "Life and its epiphanies." |
| 1912 | Dr. Charles Watson MacGillivray | Dr. Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | "Some memories of old Harveians." |
| 1913 | Sir George Beatson | Dr. Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | "The blood and its secrets." |
| 1914 | Sir Thomas Richard Fraser | Dr. Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | "The circulation of the blood in Harvey's time and now." |
| 1915 | | Dr. Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | No Harveian Festival and no oration§ |
| 1916 | | Dr. Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | No Harveian Festival and no oration§ |
| 1917 | | Dr. Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | No Harveian Festival and no oration§ |
| 1918 | | Dr. Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | No Harveian Festival and no oration§ |
| 1919 | Mr. Francis Caird | Dr. Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | "Reminiscences of old Harveians." |
* Dr Strachan served as President for the second time.
§ The annual Harveian Festival was not held due to World War I.

## 1920s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1920s :
| Year | President | Secretaries | Secretaries | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1920 | Dr. Charles Douglas | Dr. Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | "Two medical humorists." |
| 1921 | Dr. Alexander James | Dr. Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | "Harvey's Sociology." |
| 1922 | | Dr. Francis Boyd | Mr. John Dowden | No Harveian Festival and no oration§ |
| 1923 | Sir T. Kennedy Dalziel | Mr. John Dowden | Dr. David Halliday Croom | No oration |
| 1924 | Sir David Wallace | Mr. John Dowden | Dr. David Halliday Croom | "Then and now." |
| 1925 | Dr. Peter McBride | Mr. John Dowden | Dr. David Halliday Croom | "Why did Harvey discover the circulation?" |
| 1926 | Sir Robert Philip | Mr. John Dowden | Dr. David Halliday Croom | "Harveiana Edinburgensia." |
| 1927 | Dr. David Huskie | Mr. John Dowden | Dr. David Halliday Croom | "Harvey: his message." |
| 1928 | Dr. Robert Thin | Mr. John Dowden | Dr. Herbert Watson Wemyss | "Dr. Archibald Pitcairne." |
| 1929 | Dr. Lewis Bruce | Mr. John Dowden | Dr. Herbert Watson Wemyss | "Life and customs in the time of Wm Harvey." |
§The reason why the Festival of 1922 was not held is unknown as there are no minutes for this period in the Society's archives.

## 1930s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1930s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1930 | Prof. George Lovell Gulland | Mr. John Dowden | Dr. Herbert Watson Wemyss | "The circulating fluid." |
| 1931 | Dr. D. Elliot Dickson | Mr. John Dowden | Dr. Herbert Watson Wemyss | "Humility in Medicine." |
| 1932 | Dr. James Haig Ferguson | Mr. John Dowden | Dr. Herbert Watson Wemyss | "Some medical heroes of the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries." |
| 1933 | Dr. Samuel Davidson§ | Mr. John Dowden | | "Hope in medicine." |
| 1934 | Prof. Edwin Bramwell | Dr. Derrick Dunlop | Mr. Donald Middleton | "Sir Charles Bell his life and work." |
| 1935 | Dr. Allan Tuke | Dr. Derrick Dunlop | Mr. Donald Middleton | "Harvey - the General Practitioner." |
| 1936 | Mr. William James Stuart | Dr. Derrick Dunlop | Mr. Donald Middleton | "Harvey and integration." |
| 1937 | Dr. Henry Yellowlees | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | Mr. Donald Middleton | "Harvey and the human heart." |
| 1938 | Mr. Henry Wade | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | Mr. Donald Middleton | "Harvey in Scotland." |
| 1939 | Dr. Henry Robarts§§ | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | Mr. Donald Middleton | "If Health be Wanting." |
§ Dr Davidson was a country practitioner in Kelso.
§§ Dr Robarts was a country practitioner in Haddington.

## 1940s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1940s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1940 | | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | Mr. Donald Middleton | No Harveian Festival and no oration§ |
| 1941 | | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | Mr. Donald Middleton | No Harveian Festival and no oration§ |
| 1942 | | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | Mr. Donald Middleton§§ | No Harveian Festival and no oration§ |
| 1943 | | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | | No Harveian Festival and no oration§ |
| 1944 | | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | | No Harveian Festival and no oration§ |
| 1945 | | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | | No Harveian Festival and no oration§ |
| 1946 | | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | | No Harveian Festival and no oration§ |
| 1947 | | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | | No Harveian Festival and no oration§ |
| 1948 | Prof. Robert Johnstone | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | | "William Harvey - The Father of British Midwifery." |
| 1949 | Dr. Alexander Greig Anderson | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | | "The Background of Medicine." |
§ The annual Harveian Festival was not held due to World War II and its aftermath.
§§ Mr Middleton was killed on active service in October 1942.

## 1950s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1950s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1950 | Prof. Charles McNeil | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | Mr. John Bruce | "Verities yet in their Chaos." |
| 1951 | Prof. James Young | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | Mr. John Bruce | "William Harvey and the Scholastic Tradition." |
| 1952 | Mr. James Graham | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | Mr. John Bruce | "William Harvey and the Early Days of Blood Transfusion." |
| 1953 | Dr W.D. Chambers | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | Mr. John Bruce | "The place of Harvey in the Advance of Science." |
| 1954 | Dr. William Alister Alexander | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | Mr. John Bruce | "Reflections of the Failure to Discover the Circulation in the Sixteenth Century." |
| 1955 | Prof. Melville Arnott | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | Mr. John Bruce | "The Climate of Discovery." |
| 1956 | Dr. Douglas Guthrie | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | Prof. John Bruce | "Harvey in Space and Time." |
| 1957 | Prof. Derrick Dunlop | Prof. John Bruce | Dr. James Innes | "Three Hundred Years Ago." |
| 1958 | Prof. Ian Aird | Prof. John Bruce | Dr. James Innes | "The Biological Value to Man of the Human Blood groups." |
| 1959 | Sir Walter Mercer | Prof. John Bruce | Dr. James Innes | "Made Possible by Harvey." |

## 1960s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1960s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1960 | Prof. Ian Hill | Prof. John Bruce | Dr. James Innes | "The Legacy of Harvey." |
| 1961 | Dr. James Slater | Prof. John Bruce | Dr. James Innes | "Harvey as seen by our generation." |
| 1962 | Dr. James Bruce Dewar | Prof. John Bruce | Dr. James Innes | "The Imprisoned Splendour." |
| 1963 | Dr. Andrew Rae Gilchrist | Prof. John Bruce | Dr. James Innes | "Harvey, the Compleat Physician." |
| 1964 | Prof. Robert Walmsley | Prof. John Bruce | Dr. James Innes | "The Harveian Method." |
| 1965 | Dr. Ion Simson Hall | Prof. John Bruce | Dr. James Innes | "William Harvey: Physician. Tis the mind that makes the body rich. The Taming of the Shrew Act 4, Scene 3." |
| 1966 | Dr. Joseph Houston Wright | Prof. John Bruce | Dr. James Innes | "Wise Men from the West." |
| 1967 | Sir John Bruce | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Noel Gray§ | "The bridge builders." |
| 1968 | Dr. Christopher Clayson | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Noel Gray§ | "Physitians Abounding in Phantasie." |
| 1969 | Mr. James Cameron | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Iain MacLaren | "William Harvey, Dr of Physique and Chirurgerie - A Man for All Seasons." |
§ Mr Gray was a Consultant in General Surgery at Bangour General Hospital, Broxburn, Scotland.

## 1970s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1970s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1970 | Sir Hector MacLennan | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Iain MacLaren | "William Harvey - The Pacemaker." |
| 1971 | Prof. Kenneth Donald | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Iain MacLaren | "Harvey, then and now." |
| 1972 | Prof. Thomas Anderson | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Iain MacLaren | "Management in Medicine." |
| 1973 | Dr. Richard Turner | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Iain MacLaren | "Harveian Exercise and the Heart." |
| 1974 | Sir Donald Douglas | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Iain MacLaren | "The Student University of Padua." |
| 1975 | Prof. George Montgomery | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Iain MacLaren | "The grand anatomies of Harvey's time." |
| 1976 | Prof. James Hutchison | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Iain MacLaren | "Scottish Children and their Doctors." |
| 1977 | Prof. John Crofton | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Iain MacLaren | "Creativity." |
| 1978 | Mr. James Ross | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Iain MacLaren | "The Reception of New Ideas and Discoveries." |
| 1979 | Prof. Edward McGirr | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Iain MacLaren | "From Dogma to Science?" |

## 1980s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1980s :
| Year | President | Secretary | Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1980 | Prof. Francis Gillingham | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Iain MacLaren | "William Harvey was a European." |
| 1981 | Prof. William Walker | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Iain MacLaren | "Harvey's Contemporaries - Science and Society." |
| 1982 | Dr. James Innes | Mr. Iain MacLaren | Dr. Anthony Toft | Bicentenary Oration: "The Harveians of Edinburgh - their First 200 Years." |
| 1983 | Prof. Ross Mitchell | Mr. Iain MacLaren | Dr. Anthony Toft | "William Harvey and Celtic Medicine." |
| 1984 | Prof. Patrick Forrest | Mr. Iain MacLaren | Dr. Anthony Toft | "Harvey: 1628 and 1984." |
| 1985 | Prof. Arthur Kennedy | Mr. Iain MacLaren | Dr. Anthony Toft | "The Basis of Discovery." |
| 1986 | Dr. Ronald Robertson | Mr. Iain MacLaren§ | Dr. Anthony Toft§ | "The Humours of Harvey." |
| 1987 | Dr. Donald Emslie-Smith | Mr. Iain MacLaren | Dr. Anthony Toft | "Great Doctors and Medical Worthies." |
| 1988 | Mr. Iain MacLaren | Dr. Anthony Toft | Mr. Alasdair MacGregor | "Doctors Extraordinary and In Ordinary." |
| 1989 | Dr. Ronald McNeill | Dr. Anthony Toft | Mr. Alasdair MacGregor | "Harvey and the Pulmonary Circulation." |
§ The titles "Surgical Secretary" and "Medical Secretary" were first used in 1986 to describe, respectively, Mr. MacLaren and Dr. Toft.

## 1990s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 1990s :
| Year | President | Medical Secretary | Surgical Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 1990 | Dr. Andrew Doig | Dr. Anthony Toft | Mr. Alasdair MacGregor | "Insatiable Curiositie: The Stuart Influence in Medicine and Science." |
| 1991 | Dr. Iain Boyle | Dr. Anthony Toft | Mr. Alasdair MacGregor | "Harvey – A Man of his Time?" |
| 1992 | Prof.Geoffrey Chisholm | Dr. Anthony Toft | Mr. Alasdair MacGregor | "Harvey - Surgery and the Incorporation of Surgeons.” |
| 1993 | Prof. Charles Forbes | Dr. Anthony Toft | Mr. Alasdair MacGregor | "William Harvey - The Man." |
| 1994 | Dr. Martin Lees | Dr. Anthony Toft | Mr. Alasdair MacGregor | "William Harvey's World of Reproductive Medicine." |
| 1995 | Dr. Anthony Toft | Prof. Neil Douglas | Mr. Alasdair MacGregor | "The Magic of Medicine." |
| 1996 | Prof. Colin Bird | Prof. Neil Douglas | Mr. Alasdair MacGregor | "Genes, Dreams and Realities." |
| 1997 | Prof. Andrew Ross Lorimer | Prof. Neil Douglas | Mr. Alasdair MacGregor | "Child is Father of the Man." |
| 1998 | Prof. Sir David Carter | Prof. Neil Douglas | Mr. Alasdair MacGregor | "William Harvey and the Age of Opportunity." |
| 1999 | Prof. Robert Wood | Prof. Neil Douglas | Mr. Alasdair MacGregor | "Harvey – a Man for the Millennium." |

## 2000s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 2000s :
| Year | President | Medical Secretary | Surgical Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 2000 | Prof. John Hunter | Prof. Neil Douglas | Mr. Alasdair MacGregor | "Heroes after Harvey." |
| 2001 | Prof. David Brynmor Thomas | Prof. Neil Douglas | Mr. Alasdair MacGregor | "The Harveian Paradigm." |
| 2002 | Prof. Andrew Calder | Prof. Neil Douglas | Mr. Alasdair MacGregor | "Nature's Secret Mysteries. (De Generatione Animabilis)." |
| 2003 | Prof. Sir Graeme Catto | Prof. Neil Douglas | Mr. Simon Paterson-Brown | "A Scottish Enlightenment." |
| 2004 | Prof. Neil Douglas | Dr. Kelvin Palmer | Mr. Simon Paterson-Brown | "Harvey and Educating Medical Men." |
| 2005 | Prof. Sir John Temple | Dr. Kelvin Palmer | Mr. Simon Paterson-Brown | "Just William; with Apologies to Richmal Crompton." |
| 2006 | Dr. Niall Finlayson | Dr. Kelvin Palmer | Mr. Simon Paterson-Brown | "Harvey's World." |
| 2007 | Prof. Anthony Seaton | Dr. Kelvin Palmer | Mr. Simon Paterson-Brown | "Harvey and the History of Air." |
| 2008 | Prof. James Hutchison | Dr. Kelvin Palmer | Mr. Simon Paterson-Brown | "The View from the Dwarf: Who Influenced Harvey, Who did Harvey Influence?" |
| 2009 | Prof. Sir John Savill | Dr. Kelvin Palmer | Mr. Simon Paterson-Brown | "Harvey's Next Grant Application." |

## 2010s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 2010s :
| Year | President | Medical Secretary | Surgical Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 2010 | Prof. C. Michael Steel | Dr. Kelvin Palmer | Mr. Simon Paterson-Brown | "Harvey and the High Authorities." |
| 2011 | Prof. Stuart MacPherson | Dr. Kelvin Palmer | Mr. Simon Paterson-Brown | "From Folkestone to Hempstead." |
| 2012 | Prof. Gordon Lowe | Dr. Kelvin Palmer | Mr. Simon Paterson-Brown | “From Harvey to Heart Attacks – What Stoppeth the Circulation?” |
| 2013 | Dr. Nicholas Boon | Dr. Kelvin Palmer | Mr. Simon Paterson-Brown | "William Harvey: Lumper or Splitter." |
| 2014 | Prof. Janet Wilson | Prof. Angela Thomas | Mr. Simon Paterson-Brown | "Witchraft and Hysteria: the 'Gendered Heart' of William Harvey." |
| 2015 | Dr. Kelvin Palmer | Prof. Angela Thomas | Mr. Simon Paterson-Brown | "William Harvey: a Polymath." |
| 2016 | Dr. Dermot McKeown | Prof. Angela Thomas | Mr. Simon Paterson-Brown | "William Harvey: from pulsing glove to pulse oximeter." |
| 2017 | Prof. Allan Cumming | Prof. Angela Thomas | Mr. James "Sam" Patton | "William Harvey and the Circle of Life." |
| 2018 | Prof. James Garden | Prof. Angela Thomas | Mr. James "Sam" Patton | "William Harvey- why he could not be a Liver Surgeon." |
| 2019 | Prof. Sir Lewis Ritchie | Prof. Angela Thomas | Mr. James "Sam" Patton | "Bravehearts: Professionalism and Excellence in Scottish Medicine." |

## 2020s

List of Office Bearers and Harveian Orations during the 2020s :
| Year | President | Medical Secretary | Surgical Secretary | Title of Harveian Oration |
| 2020 | Prof. William Reid | Prof. Angela Thomas | Mr. James "Sam" Patton | No Harveian Festival and no oration. |
| 2021 | Prof. William Reid | Prof. Angela Thomas | Mr. James "Sam" Patton | No Harveian Festival and no oration. |
| 2022 | Mr. Robert Jeffrey | Prof. Angela Thomas | Mr. James "Sam" Patton | "William Harvey and the History of Cardiac Surgery. A personal View." |
| 2023 | Prof. Angela Thomas | Prof. Mark Strachan | Mr. James "Sam" Patton | "William Harvey the revolutionist." |
| 2024 | Mr. Simon Paterson-Brown | Prof. Mark Strachan | Mr. James "Sam" Patton | "William Harvey - History, Heritage and Surgery." |
| 2025 | Professor Stuart Pringle | Prof. Mark Strachan | Mr. James "Sam" Patton | |
The Harveian Festival was not held in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.