# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Ogle, James Adey

Second author Edward Henry Marshall.
​OGLE, JAMES ADEY (1792–1857), physician, was born on 22 Oct. 1792 in Great Russell Street, London, where his father, Richard Ogle, had a large practice as a general practitioner. In 1808 James was sent to Eton, at that time under the rule of Dr. Joseph Goodall [q. v.] He stayed here only two years, and in Lent term 1810 entered as a commoner of Trinity College, Oxford, obtaining a scholarship in the following year. In Easter term 1813 he obtained a first class in mathematics. Adopting his father's profession, he commenced his medical studies at the Windmill Street school. On the proclamation of peace in 1814 he availed himself of the opening of the continent, and in the course of that and some succeeding years he visited many of the most celebrated medical schools in France, Italy, and Germany. He also passed (as was customary in those days) some winter sessions in Edinburgh, studying under Professors Gregory, Duncan, Hamilton, Gordon, Home, and Jamieson; and, through his Eton and Oxford acquaintance, gained admission to the intellectual society of the northern capital. Returning to London, he pursued his medical studies as a pupil of the Middlesex, and subsequently of St. Bartholomew's, Hospital, and proceeded to the degrees of M.A. and M.B. at Oxford in 1816 and 1817 respectively. Settling in Oxford, he graduated M.D. in 1820, and was appointed mathematical tutor of his of college (Trinity) in the same year. One of his pupils was John Henry (afterwards Cardinal) Newman [q. v.], with whom he maintained an intimate friendship in after life, though he did not belong to his theological party. He was elected F.R.C.P. in 1822, physician to the Radcliffe Infirmary and to the Warneford Lunatic Asylum at Oxford in 1824, Aldrich professor of medicine in the university in 1824, public examiner in 1825, F.R.S. in 1826, and clinical professor of medicine in 1830. In 1836 he was associated with Dr. Kidd and Dr. Daubeny in a revision of the university statutes regulating medical degrees, and obtained the institution of a public examination for the degree of M.B.
In 1841 appeared Ogle's only publication, 'A Letter to the Reverend the Warden of Wadham College, on the System of Education pursued at Oxford; with Suggestions for remodelling the Examination Statute.' This pamphlet is noteworthy as entertaining the first suggestion of a natural science school at Oxford, afterwards established by a statute proposed in 1851 by Sir H. W. Acland. He anticipated also another change, by his proposal that 'candidates for admission to the university should have their attainments tested in limine by 'an examination of the same character as that we now term Responsions' Ogle's successful professional career was marked by his delivering the Harveian oration in 1844, and by his appointment as regius professor of medicine at Oxford by Lord John Russell in 1851, in succession to Dr. John Kidd [q. v.] He was president of the Provincial Medical Association at its meeting at Oxford in 1852, and was examiner in the new school of natural science in 1854-5. He died of apoplexy, after an illness of thirty hours, at the vicarage. Old Shoreham, the residence of his son-in-law, James Bowling Mozley [q. v.], on 25 Sept. 1857; he was buried in St. Sepulchre's cemetery at Oxford. A portrait, by S. Lane, R.A., is now in the possession of his son. An engraved portrait is prefixed to a memoir in the 'Medical Circular,' 28 July 1852.
Ogle was much esteemed us a man of high professional and private character. His house at Oxford was the rendezvous of a wide circle of friends. By nature cautious, he was inclined to adhere to the older traditions of his profession, from the active practice of which he withdrew in his later years, although attending old friends and giving gratuitous advice to the poor. But he offered no opposition to the more modern developments of scientific study at the infirmary and in the university, which were the subject of keen controversy at the time.
In 1810 Ogle married Sarah, younger daughter of Jeston Homfray, esq., of Broadwaters, near Kidderminster. She died in 1835, leaving four sons and five daughters, one of whom was wife of James Bowling Mozley. The third son, Dr. William Ogle, was formerly superintendent of statistics in the registrar-general's office.
[London and Priv. Med. Directory, 1858, p. 809; Med. Times and Gazette, 1857. ii. 385; Lancet, 1857, ii. 381; Brit. Med. Journ. 1857, p. 831; Med. Circlar and Gen. Med. Advertiser, 1852, p. 281; Newman's Apologia, ed. 1882. p. 236; Munk's Coll. of Phys. 1878, iii. 245; family information; personal knowledge.]
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E. H. M.