Sir Andrew SmithKCB(3 December 1797 – 11 August 1872) was a Britishsurgeon,explorer,ethnologistandzoologist.He is considered the father of zoology in South Africa having described many species across a wide range of groups in his major work,Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa.[1][2]
Sir Andrew Smith | |
|---|---|
 Sir Andrew Smith | |
| Born | 3 December 1797 |
| Died | 11 August 1872(aged 74) |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | |
| Author abbrev. (zoology) | A. Smith |
Smith was born inHawick,Roxburghshire. He qualified in medicine at theUniversity of Edinburghobtaining anM.D.degree in 1819, having joined theArmy Medical Servicesin 1816.
South Africa 1820–1837
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In 1820 he was ordered to theCape Colonyand was sent toGrahamstownto supervise the medical care of European soldiers and soldiers of the Cape Corps. He was appointed the Albany district surgeon in 1822 and started the first free dispensary for indigent patients in South Africa. He led a scientific expedition into the interior and was able to indulge in his interests of natural history and anthropology. On several occasions, he was sent by governors on confidential missions to visit Bantu tribes beyond the frontier, such as his trip toKaffrariain 1824 when he made copious notes on the customs of theXhosatribes. In 1825 the Governor of the Cape Colony,Lord Charles Somerset,nominated Smith as the first Superintendent of the South African Museum of natural history inCape Town.In 1828 Smith was sent to Namaqualand by Lieutenant-Governor of the Eastern District of the Cape of Good HopeRichard Bourketo report on theBushmenthere. As a result, Smith wroteOn the origin and history of the Bushmenin 1831. In the same year of 1831, there were rumours of serious unrest in the east, causing Governor Sir Lowry Cole to send Smith toNatalin January 1832. Here he interviewedDingaanand reported back to Cole, arousing a great deal of interest in the business world of the Cape. It was mainly his report that caused Britain to annexPort Natalin 1844 and turn it into a Crown colony. Similarly in 1833 the reports of traders from North of theOrange Riverled to an 18-month-long expedition by Andrew toBasutoland,Kuruman,the headquarters ofMzilikaziand as far north as theMagaliesberg,Charles Davidson Bellgoing along as expedition artist. Smith returned with two of Mzilikazi'sizinDunawho forged an alliance with the Cape Colony on behalf of their chief. Smith'sReport of the expedition for exploring Central Africawas published in 1836. Except for two short reports that appeared after his return to Cape Town from the interior in 1836, no detailed account of his travels was ever published. Smith's diary, however, was later edited by Percival R. Kirby and published by theVan Riebeeck Societyin 1939–40 as Nos. 20 and 21 of their first series, under the titleThe Diary of Dr. Andrew Smith, Director of the 'Expedition for Exploring Central Africa', 1834–36.(OCLC4550857.)
Smith met the young geologistCharles Darwinwhen thesecond voyage of theBeagletouched at the Cape in May 1836, and showed him slate rock formations. He also gave Darwin some rock samples he had collected the year before. These are now held by theSedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences.Darwin and Smith corresponded about how the large animals in South Africa lived on sparse vegetation, showing that a lack of luxuriant vegetation did not explain the extinction of the giant creatures whose fossils Darwin had found in South America.[3]Darwin frequently mentioned Smith in his writings, and sponsored him to gain membership of theRoyal Societyin 1857.
Britain 1837–1872
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Smith returned to the United Kingdom in January 1837 and shortly afterward started publishing the five volumes making upIllustrations of the Zoology of South Africa(1838–50).[4]He advanced rapidly through the ranks of the medical service, becoming staff surgeon and principal medical officer atFort Pitt, Chathamin 1841.[5]In 1844 he married his housekeeper Ellen Henderson and converted to her Roman Catholic faith. In 1845 he became assistant toSir James McGrigor,the director-general of the army medical department, becoming Director-General of theArmy Medical Servicesin 1853 when Sir James retired. He was responsible for the organizing of medical services during theCrimean War,amidst serious charges of inefficiency and incompetence fromThe TimesandFlorence Nightingale.A commission of inquiry exonerated him and he received honours from universities and learned societies. Ill-health forced his resignation, he was succeeded byThomas Alexander,[6][7]in 1858 when he was createdKnight Commander of the Bath.
See also
editAnimals named after Andrew Smith
editAndrew Smith is commemorated in thescientific namesof threespeciesof reptiles.[8]
- Gekko smithii,agecko
- Lepidophyma smithii,a lizard
- Pangshura smithii,a freshwater turtle
He is also honoured in the names of the following birds:[9]
- Cape shoveler(Spatula smithi)
- Karoo thrush(Turdus smithi)
- Annobón paradise flycatcher(Terpsiphone smithii)
- 3 species of Africanbroadbillsin the genusSmithornis
Correspondence with Charles Darwin
editFootnotes
edit- ^"v. 2 (Incomplete) – Illustrations of the zoology of South Africa: – Biodiversity Heritage Library".Retrieved31 January2014.
- ^Smith, A. (1849).Illustrations of the zoology of South Africa. Mammalia. (Aves. Reptilia. Pisces. Invertebratæ). [5 pt. Pt. 5 has an additional title-leaf reading Illustrations of the annulosa of South Africa, by W.S. Macleay. Publ. in parts].Part 5,Mammalia,archive.org
- ^"Darwin Online: 'Runaway Rascals': an introduction to the Despoblado Notebook".
- ^By, Undiscovered Scotland."Sir Andrew Smith: Biography on Undiscovered Scotland".www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk.Retrieved24 August2017.
- ^Smith, Sir Andrew (1797–1872), army medical officer and naturalistby Dane Kennedy inDictionary of National Biographyonline (accessed 21 July 2008)
- ^"Thomas Alexander 1812 - 1860".Gazetteer for Scotland.Retrieved23 March2022.
- ^Summers, Anne (1985).Women as voluntary and professional military nurses in Great Britain, 1854-1914(PDF)(PhD). Open University.
- ^Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011).The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles.Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp.ISBN978-1-4214-0135-5.( "Smith, Andrew", pp. 246–247).
- ^James A. Jobling (2010).The Helm dictionary of scientific bird names from aalge to zusii.Christopher Helm, London. p. 358.ISBN9781408125014.