# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Carmichael, Richard

​CARMICHAEL, RICHARD (1779–1849), surgeon, was born in Dublin on 6 Feb. 1779, being fourth son of Hugh Carmichael, solicitor, who was nearly related to the Scotch family of the earls of Hyndford. When he attained fortune, Carmichael spent much time and money in seeking to establish the proof of his eldest brother's title to this earldom; but the loss or destruction of some indispensable family records rendered his efforts futile.
After a two years' apprenticeship to Peile, a well-known Dublin surgeon, and study at the Irish College of Surgeons, Carmichael passed the requisite examination, and was appointed assistant-surgeon (and ensign) to the Wexford militia in 1795, when only sixteen. This position he held, gaining considerable notice by his early skill and attention to his duties, till 1802, when the army establishment was reduced after the peace of Amiens. In 1800 he had become a member of the Irish College of Surgeons, and in 1803 he commenced practice in Dublin. In the same year he was appointed surgeon to St. George's Hospital and Dispensary, and in 1810 surgeon to the Lock Hospital. In 1816 he obtained the important appointment of surgeon to the Richmond, Whitworth, and Hardwicke Hospitals, an office which he held till 1836. Already in 1813, at the early age of thirty-four, he was chosen president of the Dublin College of Surgeons, a position he also held in 1826 and 1846. In 1835 he was elected a corresponding member of the Royal Academy of Medicine of France, being the first Irishman to receive that distinction.
In 1826 Carmichael, in conjunction with Drs. Adams and McDowell, founded the Richmond Hospital School of Medicine (afterwards known as the Carmichael School), and was for two years a principal, and afterwards an occasional lecturer. In addition to considerable donations in his lifetime, he bequeathed 8,000l;. for its improvement, and 2,000l., the interest to be given as prices to the best students of the school. During the last ten years of his life (1839–49) he took deep interest in medical reform, strongly supporting the Medical Association of Ireland, of which he was president from its formation till his death. He aimed at securing for the medical student a good preliminary and a high professional education, and uniform and searching examinations by all universities and medical and surgical colleges. He also advocated the separation of apothecary's work from medicine and surgery as far as practicable. To promote its objects he placed 500l. in the hands of the Medical Association; but when it proved that the fund was not needed, he directed its transfer to the Medical Benevolent Fund Society. To this society, one much cared for by him, he left 4,500l. at his death. A piece of plate was presented to him in 1841 by 410 of his professional brethren, with an address expressing their sense of his unwearied zeal for the ​interests of his profession and the advancement of medical science.
In addition to numerous pamphlets and papers in the medical journals, Carmichael published: 1. 'An Essay on the Effects of Carbonate of Iron upon Cancer, with an Inquiry into the Nature of that Disease,' London, 1806; 2nd edit. 1809. 2. 'An Essay on the Nature of Scrofula,' London, 1810 (of which a German translation was published at Leipzig in 1818). 3. 'An Essay on the Venereal Diseases which have been confounded with Syphilis, and the Symptoms which arises exclusively from that Poison,' 4to, 1814. The latter he made in an especial manner his own subject; and his practical views established important improvements in the treatment of those diseases of those diseases, especially in regard to the administration of mercury. His work went through many editions. It was at first severely reviewed in the 'Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal' (xi. 380), the review being ably answered by Carmichael in the same volume.
Carmichael was originally a member of the established church; but in 1825 he joined a unitarian church. He was a handsome man, with a stern cast of countenance; and was all that was admirable in domestic life. He was drowned, on 8 June 1849, while crossing a deep arm of the sea between Clontarf and Sutton on horseback. Among his benefactions by will he left 3,000l. to the College of Surgeons, the interest to be applied as prizes for the best essays on subjects specified in the will. A list of his writings is given in the 'Dublin Quarterly Journal of Medical Science,' ix. 497-9.
[Dublin Medical Press, 4 July 1849, p. 13; Dublin Quarterly Journal of Medical Science, ix. 493-504.]
G. T. B.