William Tyler Smith

{{Short description|English obstetrician, medical writer and journalist}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}} {{Use British English|date=October 2016}} {{Infobox person | name = William Tyler Smith | image = William Tyler Smith Wynter.jpg | caption = William Tyler Smith, 1860s photograph | birth_date = {{Birth date|1815|4|10}} | birth_place = Near Bristol, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|1873|5|20|1815|4|10}} | death_place = Richmond, Surrey, England | resting_place = East Blatchington, England | occupation = Obstetrician, medical writer, journalist | education = Bristol school of medicine | alma_mater = University of London | known_for = Obstetrics | spouse = Tryphena Yearsley | children = 7 (5 survived infancy) }}

'''William Tyler Smith''' (1815–1873) was an English obstetrician, medical writer and journalist, with outside interests in insurance and the development of Seaford, East Sussex, U.K.

==Early life== Smith was born into a hard working family, near Bristol on 10 April 1815. He was educated at the Bristol school of medicine, where he became prosector and post-mortem clerk. He graduated as bachelor of medicine at the University of London in 1840, and eight years later proceeded M.D. He became a licentiate of the College of Physicians, London, in 1850, and was elected to the fellowship in 1859.<ref name="DNB">{{cite DNB|wstitle=Smith, William Tyler|volume=53}}</ref>

==Medical career== Smith began his career as a teacher in the private school of George Dermott in Bedford Square, and became an effective lecturer despite lacking natural gifts. When St. Mary's Hospital was founded, he was appointed obstetric physician and lecturer on obstetrics. He continued his teaching there for the allotted term of twenty years, and on retirement was elected consulting physician accoucheur. He held the post of examiner in obstetrics at the University of London for five years.<ref name="DNB"/>

At first living at 7 Bolton Street, Piccadilly, Smith moved to 7 Upper Grosvenor Street, and then to No. 21 in the same street. For several years he was largely dependent on writing, building up a professional reputation. He became a member of the editorial staff of ''The Lancet''. promoted speciality of obstetric medicine also as a participant in the foundation and administration, of the Obstetrical Society of London, of which he was the second President, elected 1860.<ref name="DNB"/>

==Interests== Smith was associated with Thomas Wakley in the establishment of the New Equitable Life Assurance Society. One of its aims was fair reward for the professional services of medical men, and he became one of the first directors. When the society was merged the Briton Life Office, he became deputy chairman of the united companies.<ref name="DNB"/>

Another project of Smith was to develop Seaford, East Sussex as a sanatorium and fashionable watering-place. He purchased of land in and adjoining the town, and leased more from the corporation, on the condition that he should secure it against the frequent flooding by the sea, and build on it. He was active in promoting the foundation and success of the convalescent hospital at Seaford, and was bailiff of the town (in 1861, 1864, 1867, 1868, and 1870). He was magistrate for the town and port from 1861 for the rest of his life.<ref name="DNB"/>

==Death== Smith died at Richmond, Surrey on Whit-Monday 1873, and was buried at East Blatchington.<ref name="DNB"/>

==Works== Smith wrote:<ref name="DNB"/>

* ''Scrofula: its Nature, Causes, and Treatment''. London, 1844. * ''The Periodoscope, with its application to Obstetric Calculations in the Periodicities of the Sex''. London, 1848. * ''Parturition and the Principles and Practice of Obstetrics''. London, 1849. * ''The New Uterine Operation: On a New Method of Treatment of Sterility by Removal of Obstructions of the Fallopian Tubes''. London, 1849. * ''The Pathology and Treatment of Leucorrhœa''. London, 1855. * ''A Manual of Obstetrics, theoretical and practical''. London, 1858.

He contributed to the ''Medico-Chirurgical Transactions'', ''Obstetrical Transactions'', and ''Pathological Transactions''. also papers ''On Quacks and Quackery'', and a series of biographical sketches of London physicians and surgeons. Marshall Hall, a close friend, suggested that he study applications of the reflex function in obstetrics, and Smith wrote on the topic in ''The Lancet''. The articles led ''Parturition, and the Principles and Practice of Obstetrics'' (1849), dedicated to Hall. Other lectures published in ''The Lancet'' formed the basis of his ''Manual of Obstetrics'', 1858. In his time, these books by Smith, especially the ''Manual'', became standard texts, alongside the works of Thomas Denman the elder, despite his relative lack of practical experience.<ref name="DNB"/>

==Family== Smith married Tryphena, daughter of Moses Yearsley, of Southwick Park, near Tewkesbury, and had seven children, two of whom died in infancy.<ref name="DNB"/><ref>{{cite ODNB|id=25941|title=Smith, William Tyler|first=Ornella|last=Moscucci}}</ref> Their son Giulio played for England against Scotland in the first (unofficial) international football match on 5 March 1870.<ref>{{cite web|title=Unofficial International No. 1|url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1872-00/1869-70/UM001Sco1870.html|website=www.englandfootballonline.com|accessdate=7 December 2014|date=5 March 1870}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Mitchell|first1=Andy|title=First Elevens: The Birth of International Football|date=2012|publisher=Andy Mitchell Media|isbn=978-1475206845|pages=98–99, 130–131}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

'''Attribution'''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, William Tyler}} Category:1815 births Category:1873 deaths Category:English obstetricians Category:English medical writers Category:19th-century English journalists Category:19th-century English male journalists Category:People from Seaford, East Sussex Category:Presidents of the Obstetrical Society of London