Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

{{Short description|Medical organization and college in Scotland}} {{Distinguish|Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow|Royal College of Physicians|Rapid City, Pierre and Eastern Railroad}} {{Use British English|date=December 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}} {{Infobox organization | name = Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh | abbreviation = RCPE | native_name = | image = | image_size = 250 | logo = Royal_College_Physicians_Edinburgh_RCPE_logo.png | logo_size = 250 | established = {{start date and age|1681}} | type = Medical royal colleges | num_members = 14,000 | num_members_year = 2023 | location = Edinburgh | coordinates = {{Coord|55.9550|-3.1965|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}} | affiliations = {{hlist|Academy of Medical Royal Colleges|MRCP (UK)}} | leader_title = President | leader_name = Andrew Elder | num_staff = | num_staff_year = | website = {{official URL}} }} thumb|The façade of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, 9 Queen Street, Edinburgh, Scotland. The '''Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh''' ('''RCPE''') is a medical royal college in Scotland. It is one of three organisations that set the specialty training standards for physicians in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jrcptb.org.uk/about-us|title=About us|publisher=Joint Royal College Postgraduate Training Board|website=www.jrcptb.org.uk|date=23 September 2014 |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref> It was established by royal charter in 1681. The college has more than 14,000 fellows and members worldwide, who are entitled to use the post-nominal MRCP (Edin) or FRCP (Edin).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/college|title=Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh|publisher=Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh|website=www.rcpe.ac.uk|access-date=30 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HsI0AQAAMAAJ&dq=F.R.C.P.+(Edin)&pg=PR13|title=Encyclopaedia Medica|volume=1|year=1915}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O9kCAAAAYAAJ&dq=FRCPE&pg=PR23|title=Transactions|volume=25|year=1900}}</ref>

== History == The RCPE was formed by a royal charter, granted in 1681, with Sir Robert Sibbald recognised as playing a key part in the negotiations.<ref name="BMJ 1981">{{cite journal|title=Three hundred years of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh|first=Ronald|last=Girdwood|author-link=Ronald Girdwood|journal=British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Edition)|date=5 September 1981|volume=283|issue=6292|pages=651–654|doi=10.1136/bmj.283.6292.651|pmc=1506788|pmid=6790117}}</ref> Three applications preceded this and had been unsuccessful.<ref name="Kaufman">{{cite journal|title=Early History of The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh|first=Matthew H|last=Kaufman|doi=10.2218/resmedica.v268i2.1029|volume=268|issue=2|date=2005|pages=49–53|journal=Res Medica|doi-access=free}}</ref>{{rp|49}} There were 21 original Fellows, eleven of whom were graduates or students of the University of Leiden.<ref name="BMJ 1981"/>{{rp|652}} The Universities (Scotland) Act 1858 resulted in several items from the college's charter becoming obsolete, and they obtained a further charter on 31 October 1861.<ref name="Kaufman" />{{rp|50}} In 1920 the college enacted changes that allowed women to be admitted on the same terms as men.<ref name="Kaufman" />{{rp|50}} The charter was further amended on 7 May 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/sites/default/files/library_papers/RCPE_Royal_Charter.pdf|title=RCPE Royal Charter|publisher=Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh|access-date=4 December 2016}}</ref>

== Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia == {{main|Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia}}

In 1699 the college first published a medical guide with standardised recipes ''Pharmacopoea Colegi Regii Medicorum Edimburgensium'';<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia|journal=Medical History|date=April 1957|volume=1|issue=2|pages=123–139|pmc=1034260|first1=David L.|last1=Cowen|doi=10.1017/s0025727300021049|pmid=13417895}}</ref> thirteen editions of this Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia were published until 1841 when it was replaced by a British Pharmacopoeia.<ref name="BMJ 1981" />{{rp|653}}

== Buildings == In 1704 the college acquired a house and grounds on Fountain Close, off the Cowgate, in the Old Town.<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|cat=PLA|num=115458|num2=NT27SE 1161|desc=Edinburgh, 24, 26 And 28 High Street, Fountain Close|access-date=19 June 2025}}</ref>

On 27 November 1775, William Cullen laid the foundation stone for a new hall and library in George Street in the New Town. Architect James Craig had ideas about expansion but the builders of neighbouring properties found favour instead.{{clarify|date=May 2025}}<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://thegardenstrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Lewis.pdf|title=The Builders of Edinburgh New Town|first=Anthony|last=Lewis|journal=Garden History|volume=43|issue=supplement 1|pages=12–23}}</ref>{{rp|16}} The hall was not fully completed until 1830.<ref name="Kaufman"/>{{rp|50}} The great cost of the hall's exterior exhausted the college's finances, leaving no money to finish the interior. The college's debt was so great that there was talk of selling the Hall before it was even occupied. The Hall was sold to the Commercial Bank of Scotland in 1841 and was demolished.<ref name="BMJ 1981"/><ref name="DSA George Street Hall">{{cite web|url=http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/building_full.php?id=421535|title=Basic Site Details: Physicians' Hall|publisher=Dictionary of Scottish Architects|website=www.scottisharchitects.org.uk|access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|cat=PLA|num=113439|num2=NT27SE 784.1|desc=Edinburgh, 14 George Street, Physicians' Hall|fewer-links=yes|access-date=19 June 2025}}</ref>

Between 1843 and 1846 the college did not own a meeting place, instead renting premises at 119 George Street.<ref name="Kaufman"/>{{rp|50}}

thumb|The Great Hall in the RCPE building The foundation stone of a new Hall at 9 Queen Street was laid on 8 August 1844.<ref name="Kaufman" /> The new Queen Street Hall was designed by Thomas Hamilton.<ref name="DSA Physicians’ Hall">{{cite web|url=http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/building_full.php?id=101111|title=Basic Site Details: Royal College of Physicians|publisher=Dictionary of Scottish Architects|website=www.scottisharchitects.org.uk|access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref> The Queen Street Hall was completed in 1846.<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|cat=PLA|num=114105|num2=NT27SE 1039|desc=Edinburgh, 9-10 Queen Street, Royal College Of Physicians|fewer-links=yes|access-date=19 June 2025}}</ref>

An adjacent building, 8 Queen Street, was designed by Robert Adam as a house for Robert Ord and built between 1770 and 1771, one of the earliest New Town constructions.<ref name="Simpson & Brown">{{cite web|url=https://www.simpsonandbrown.co.uk/architecture/leisure-commercial/royal-college-of-physicians/ |title=Leisure & commercial: Royal College of Physicians|website=www.simpsonandbrown.co.uk|access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref> In 1868 it was purchased by the college, who then leased it to other organisations until 1957.<ref name="Simpson & Brown" /> A restoration project began in 1990 and lasted seven years.<ref name="8 QS restoration">{{cite web|url=https://www.simpsonandbrown.co.uk/files/content/209_project_sheet.pdf|title=Project Sheet: The Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh|website=www.simpsonandbrown.co.uk|access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref>

Numbers 11 and 12 were built around 1780.<ref>{{HEScotland|num=LB29536|desc=11-13 (inclusive nos) Queen Street with front walls and railings|fewer-links=yes|access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref> They were purchased by the college in the 20th century. The space behind 11 was used for the Conference Centre and 12 contains flexible meeting rooms and office space.

In 1984 the college put Richard Dadd's painting of Alexander Morison up for sale, to raise money to treat dry rot.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1P89AAAAIBAJ&pg=1372%2C5105436|title=Scotland's heritage goes up for sale again|first=Clare|last=Hendry|work=The Glasgow Herald|date=30 July 1984|page=4|access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref>

=== Sibbald Library === thumb|The New Library in the RCPE building [[File:FingaskFolliesatRoyalMedicalSociety2007.jpg|thumb|Fingask Follies at The New Library]] In 1682, Robert Sibbald donated around one hundred books to the college.<ref name="HSS">{{cite web|url=https://www.blogs.hss.ed.ac.uk/history-of-the-book/a-visit-to-the-royal-college-of-physicians/|title=A Visit to the Royal College of Physicians|publisher=University of Edinburgh|website=www.blogs.hss.ed.ac.uk|date=25 November 2015|access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref> At the end of the 18th century, the library was located at the Royal Infirmary.<ref name="Kaufman" />{{rp|50}} The college's library in Queen Street bears Sibbald's name in commemoration.<ref name="HSS"/><ref name="LHSA">{{cite web|url=https://lhsa.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/visit-to-royal-college-of-physicians-of.html|title=A visit to the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Library|publisher=Lothian Health Services Archive|date=30 September 2011|access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref> The library also has artefacts, such as a medicine chest that belonged to Stuart Threipland, physician to Bonnie Prince Charlie.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.bmj.com/bmj/section-pdf/186053?path=/bmj/337/7678/News.full.pdf|title=Treasure chest of medicine past|first=Zosia|last=Kmietowicz|journal=The BMJ|volume=337|page=1072|date=5 November 2008|doi=10.1136/bmj.a2415|s2cid=72203479}}</ref> In the 1960s, the information held by the library was modern.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/obituary-joan-primrose-scott-ferguson-mbe-librarian-1-3138288|title=Obituary: Joan Primrose Scott Ferguson MBE, librarian|first=Iain|last=Milne|work=The Scotsman|date=12 October 2013|access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref> From the sixties onward, medical information became more available and college's library became more known for its historical works.<ref name="HSS"/>

In 2015, a project with the University of Glasgow digitised a collection of 5,000 letters of William Cullen from the mid-1750s to 1790, making them available online.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/letters-sent-to-legendary-scots-doctor-go-online-1-3769010|title=Letters sent to legendary Scots doctor go online|first=Tim|last=Bugler|work=The Scotsman|date=11 May 2015|access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref>

{{As of|2016}}, the college has catalogued more than 30,000 records that are in its archives.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/health/weird-and-wonderful-scottish-treatments-of-the-past-revealed-1-4029439|title=Weird and wonderful Scottish treatments of the past revealed|first=Lizzy|last=Buchan|work=The Scotsman|date=13 February 2016|access-date=5 December 2016}}</ref>

== Laboratory == In 1888 the college decided to establish its own research laboratory, and initially rented a house in Lauriston Lane, near the Royal Infirmary.<ref name="BMJ Nov 1896">{{cite journal|title=The New Research Laboratory of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh|journal=British Medical Journal|date=14 November 1896|volume=2|issue=1872|pages=1455–1457|doi=10.1136/bmj.2.1872.1455|pmc=2510996|pmid=20756591}}</ref> A three-storey building on Forest Road was acquired, and in 1896 was formally opened as the college's new laboratory. It had areas equipped and fitted for a range of disciplines: Bacteriological, Chemical, and Histological and Experimental.<ref name="BMJ Nov 1896"/> With the creation of the NHS, the laboratory could no longer depend upon income from their reporting service, and it closed in 1950.<ref name="BMJ 1981"/>{{rp|654}}

== Publications == thumb|Depiction of the college from ''Historical Sketches and Laws of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh from its Institution to 1891'' The Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (JRCPE) is a peer-reviewed medical journal published quarterly by the college. It was established in 1971 as ''Chronicle'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/8800062|title=Chronicle : proceedings of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.|work=NLM Catalog|publisher=United States National Library of Medicine|access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref> renamed in 1988 as ''Proceedings of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/8800264|title=Proceedings of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.|work=NLM Catalog|publisher=United States National Library of Medicine|access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref> and obtained its current title in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/101144324|title=The Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.|work=NLM Catalog|publisher=United States National Library of Medicine|access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref>

== Membership == Following successful completion of the MRCP(UK) or MRCPCH examinations, doctors are eligible to become Members of the college.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/membership|title=Membership|date=17 August 2016 |publisher=Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh|access-date=3 December 2016}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== Further reading == * {{cite book |last1=Cobbold |first1=Thomas Spencer |author1-link=Thomas Spencer Cobbold |title=Dr Cobbold's address at the opening of the Royal Medical Society's new hall |date=1853 |publisher=Sutherland and Knox |location=Edinburgh|language=English}} * {{Cite book|title=History of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh|last=Craig|first=W. S.|publisher=Blackwell Scientific Publications|year=1976|location=Oxford}}<ref group="Further reading">{{cite journal|title=Book Reviews: History of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh|journal=Medical History|date=July 1977|volume=21|issue=3|page=324|doi=10.1017/s0025727300038369|pmc=1082016}}</ref>

== External links == {{commons}} * {{Official website|https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/}}

Category:Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Category:1681 establishments in Scotland Category:Category A listed buildings in Edinburgh Category:Scottish medical associations Category:Professional associations based in Scotland Category:Organisations based in Edinburgh College of Physicians of Edinburgh Physicians of Edinburgh Category:Science and technology in Edinburgh