Daniel John Cunningham (1850–1909): anatomist and textbook author, whose sons achieved distinction in the Army, Navy and Indian Medical Service

Abstract

Daniel John Cunningham was a son of the manse. His father John (1819-93) was the parish priest at Crieff, Perthshire from 1845 and was to remain there for 41 years. In 1886 he was appointed Principal of St Mary's College of the University of St Andrews and Moderator of the Church of Scotland. Daniel was educated at Crieff Academy before he progressed to the University of Edinburgh. He graduated MB CM with First-class Honours in 1874 and then proceeded MD in 1876 when he was awarded a Gold Medal for his thesis. He acted as Demonstrator to Professor Turner (1832-1916) in Edinburgh for eight years until 1882 and was then appointed to the Chair of Anatomy at the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, in Dublin. After only one year there, he transferred to Trinity College, Dublin, where he occupied a similar position for 20 years. In 1903, on the appointment of Sir William Turner to the post of Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, Daniel was invited to succeed him as Professor of Anatomy in Edinburgh. Daniel held this post until his premature death in 1909. He had three sons and two daughters. Each of his three sons achieved distinction in different fields - one in the Army, another in the Navy and the third in the Indian Medical Service. One of Daniel's daughters married Dr Edwin Bramwell (1873-1952), who was later to occupy the Moncrieff Arnott Chair of Clinical Medicine in the University of Edinburgh.