Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, Neurological Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
J Neurosurg. 2012 Jun;116(6):1337-46. doi: 10.3171/2012.2.JNS111366. Epub 2012 Apr 6.
Among the families that have influenced the development of modern medicine into what it is today, the Monro lineage stands as one of the most notable. Alexander Monro primus (1697-1767) was the first of 3 generations with the same name, a dynasty that spanned 126 years occupying the Chair of Anatomy one after the other at the University of Edinburgh. After becoming Professor of Anatomy at the University of Edinburgh in 1719, Monro primus played a principal role in the establishment of the University of Edinburgh School of Medicine and the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. In 1726, he published The Anatomy of the Humane Bones, of which 8 editions were printed during his lifetime. His son, Alexander Monro secundus (1733-1817), arguably the most notable of the 3 men, succeeded him as Professor of Anatomy. A highly regarded lecturer and anatomist, Monro secundus studied under many great physicians, including William Hunter and Johann Friedrich Meckel the Elder, and was also teacher to other well-known figures at the time, such as Joseph Black and Thomas Trotter. His most notable contributions include his work with the lymphatic system, the interventricular foramen (of Monro), and the Monro-Kellie doctrine. Alexander Monro tertius (1773-1859), the last of the dynasty, also succeeded his father as Professor of Anatomy. His work included insights into abdominal aortic aneurysms and the anatomy of the genitourinary system. The prominent association of the Monro family with the University of Edinburgh and the effects of a tenured professorship under the concept of "Ad vitam aut culpam" over successive generations are also described. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this historical review of the Monro family is among the few published in neurosurgical literature. A vivid historical overview of the medical contributions of the most famous and influential dynasty of physicians in Edinburgh at that time is provided, with relevant excerpts from original publications.
在对现代医学的发展产生影响的众多医学世家当中，Monro 家族无疑是其中的佼佼者之一。第一代 Alexander Monro primus（1697-1767 年）是该家族三代同名者中的第一人，这一家族延续了 126 年，先后有三代人在爱丁堡大学接替担任解剖学教授。Monro primus 于 1719 年成为爱丁堡大学解剖学教授后，在爱丁堡大学医学院和爱丁堡皇家医院的建立过程中发挥了重要作用。1726 年，他出版了《人体骨骼解剖》，在他有生之年该书共印刷了 8 版。他的儿子 Alexander Monro secundus（1733-1817 年）可能是这三人中最著名的，他接替父亲担任解剖学教授。Monro secundus 是一位备受尊敬的讲师和解剖学家，曾师从多位著名医生，包括 William Hunter 和 Johann Friedrich Meckel the Elder，也曾教授当时的其他知名人物，如 Joseph Black 和 Thomas Trotter。他最著名的贡献包括对淋巴系统、室间孔（Monro 孔）和 Monro-Kellie 定律的研究。这一家族的最后一人 Alexander Monro tertius（1773-1859 年）也接替父亲担任解剖学教授。他的工作包括对腹主动脉瘤和泌尿生殖系统解剖的深入研究。本文还描述了 Monro 家族与爱丁堡大学的密切联系，以及在“终身教职”概念下，这一职位在几代人中的传承所产生的影响。据作者所知，这是神经外科学文献中发表的少数几篇关于 Monro 家族的历史回顾之一。本文生动地概述了当时爱丁堡最著名、最有影响力的医生世家的医学贡献，并摘录了一些原始出版物中的相关内容。
