{{Short description|Scottish medical doctor (1798–1869)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}} thumb thumb|Portrait of James Begbie thumb|10 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh thumb|The grave of Dr James Begbie, New Calton Cemetery, Edinburgh '''James Begbie''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRSE|FRCPE|FRCSE}} (1798, Edinburgh – 26 August 1869, Edinburgh) was a Scottish medical doctor who served as president of the Medico-Chirurgical Society of Edinburgh (1850–2) and as president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (1854–6).

He was among the first physicians to give a detailed description of exophthalmic goitre, currently known as Graves disease (previously called Basedow's syndrome or Begbie's disease). He is also related to the study of Dubini's disease, the old name for myoclonic epidemic encephalitis.<ref name=WNI>[http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/831.html James Begbie], WhoNamedIt.com.</ref>

His son James Warburton Begbie was also an eminent physician.

==Biography== Begbie was born on 18 December 1798 in Edinburgh, and educated at the High School.<ref name="RSE fellows index">{{cite book |title=Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002: Biographical Index |url=https://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf |last1=Waterston |first1=Charles D |last2=Macmillan Shearer |first2=A |accessdate=7 December 2016 |volume=I |date=July 2006 |page=70 |publisher=The Royal Society of Edinburgh |location=Edinburgh |isbn=090219884X |archive-date=24 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124115814/http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Aged 14 he was apprenticed to Dr John Abercrombie (1780–1844) at 19 York Place.<ref>Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1812</ref> Later on, he also became Abercrombie's assistant.<ref name="RSE fellows index"/>

In 1821, Begbie obtained his medical doctorate (MD) from the University of Edinburgh. In 1822, he became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. In 1827 he is listed as a Governor of the Dean Orphan Hospital<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ulBGAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA56 |title = An Historical Account of the Orphan Hospital of Edinburgh|year = 1833}}</ref> At this stage he lived at 30 Abercromby Place.<ref>Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1840</ref> In 1827 he was elected a member of the Harveian Society of Edinburgh.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://wellcomecollection.org/works/ww4e59xv|title= A Record of the Edinburgh Harveian Society|last=Watson Wemyss|first=Herbert Lindesay|publisher=T&A Constable, Edinburgh|year=1933|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Minute Books of the Harveian Society|url=http://archives.rcpe.ac.uk/calmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=DEP%2fHAR%2f1%2f1%2f1&pos=17|location= Library of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh}}</ref>

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh his proposer was David Maclagan.<ref name="RSE fellows index"/>

In 1847, he also became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, and became its president from 1854 up to 1856. For forty years, Begbie was a physician for the Scottish Widows Fund and Life Assurance Society 1837 to 1869.<ref name="RSE fellows index"/> In 1848 he was elected a member of the Aesculapian Club.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Minute Books of the Aesculapian Club|url=http://archives.rcpe.ac.uk/calmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=DEP%2fAEC%2f1&pos=2|location= Library of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh}}</ref>

In 1850 he lived at 3 Charlotte Square.<ref>Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1850</ref>

Begbie's final years were spent living at 10 Charlotte Square one of Edinburgh's most prestigious addresses.<ref>Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1868-69</ref> His neighbour was James Syme.

For several years he was Physician in Ordinary to Queen Victoria in Scotland.

Begbie died in Edinburgh and was interred at the New Calton Cemetery.<ref name="RSE fellows index"/> The grave is in a concealed location on the north face of the north-most vault against the east wall.

==Works== Begbie wrote about important statistical data, the use of arsenic for chronic rheumatism, the use of nitric-hydrochloric acid for oxaluria, and the use of potassium bromide for nervousness.<ref name=WNI/>

==Publications== ''Contributions to Practical Medicine'' (1862). {{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

==Family== He was married to Elizabeth Spear (1805–1874).

Begbie's son was Dr James Warburton Begbie FRSE (1826–1876).<ref name="RSE fellows index"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Begbie, James}} Category:1798 births Category:1869 deaths Category:Medical doctors from Edinburgh Category:People educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Category:Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Category:Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Category:Presidents of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Category:Burials at the New Calton Burial Ground Category:19th-century Scottish surgeons