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DICK, SIR ALEXANDER, Bart.,
of Prestonfield, near Edinburgh, was born on the 23d of October, 1703. He
was the third son of Sir William Cunningham of Caprington, by dame Janet,
daughter and heiress of Sir James Dick of Prestonfield. While his two
elder brothers were to succeed to ample fortunes, one from the father, and
the other from the mother, Alexander was left in a great measure dependent
on his own exertions. He accordingly chose the profession of medicine; and
after acquiring the preliminary branches of his profession in Edinburgh,
proceeded to Leyden, where he pursued his medical studies under the famous
Dr Boerhaave. On the 31st of August, 1725, he obtained the degree of
doctor of medicine from the university of Leyden; on which occasion he
published his inaugural dissertation "De Epilepsia," which did
him much credit. Soon after this, he returned home, when he received, from
the university of St Andrews, a second diploma as doctor of medicine,
bearing date the 23d of January, 1727. On the 7th November of the same
year, he was admitted a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of
Edinburgh.
Dr Cunningham, for he still
bore the name of his father, soon after these distinctions had been
conferred on him by his countrymen, undertook a tour through Europe.
His immediately elder
brother, Sir William Dick, having died without issue, Dr Cunningham
succeeded, in terms of the entail, to the estate and name of his mother,
and the baronetcy of his brother, Sir William; whereupon he left
Pembrokeshire and took up his residence at Prestonfield. Although he had
now determined to discontinue the practice of his profession, still he
took an active interest in promoting the study and knowledge of medicine
in Scotland. In the year 1756, he was unanimously chosen president of the
college of physicians of Edinburgh. As a testimony of the high sense which
his professional brethren entertained of his services, a portrait of him
was, by a unanimous vote, hung up in their hall.
Sir Alexander Dick did not
confine his patriotic exertions to the advancement of his own profession,
but took an active share in every undertaking which he conceived likely to
prove beneficial to the city of Edinburgh or its neighbourhood. In
particular, the citizens were much indebted to him for the improvements
which he effected in the highways around the metropolis.
Sir Alexander was twice
married—in April, 1736, to his cousin Janet, daughter of Alexander Dick,
merchant in Edinburgh, by whom he had five children, but two daughters
only survived him; and in March, 1762, he married Mary, daughter of David
Butler of Pembrokeshire, by whom he had seven children. Three sons and
three daughters of the latter marriage survived him. Having attained the
83d year of his age, with faculties unimpaired, he died on the l0th of
November, 1785; and his death, notwithstanding the very advanced age he
had reached, was generally lamented as a loss to society. He was of a kind
and amiable character, and remarkable for the mildness and sweetness of
his disposition, and for the unwearied zeal and activity with which he
promoted the advancement of medical knowledge in Scotland, as well as the
improvement and welfare of his native city.
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