John Imray

John Imray (11 January 1811 – 22 August 1880) was a Scottish physician, legislator, agriculturist and botanist.

This article is about the Scottish surgeon and botanist. For the patent attorney, see John Imray (patent attorney).

Life

John Imray, MD was born in Craig, Angus, Scotland on 11 January 1811, a son of James Imray and Mary Keith Porteous; his mother was a sister of Bishop Beilby Porteus or Porteous.

In 1831 he obtained the diploma of the Royal College of Surgeons at Edinburgh.[1]

The following year he travelled to Dominica, to join his older brother Keith, who was already in practice there.[2] “By skill and hard work, Dr [John] Imray soon became the leading physician in Dominica” and remained so throughout his career.[3]

Imray was able to combine his medical skills with those of a botanist. For example, in 1848 he published Observations on the Characters of Endemic Fever in the Island of Dominica, a detailed daily account of several cases he had treated, and written about with great clarity. The typical treatment was various combinations of calomel, quinine and camphor, with purgatives and the raising of one or more blisters.[4]

In contrast, in 1862 Imray published The Useful Woods of the Island of Dominica, a detailed description of 169 trees: no. 11 on the list reads “Adegon, (Ardisia sp.) Large tree 4 or 5 feet in diameter; useful for all purposes; boards, planks, mill work; house work; ship-building, shingles; lasts well in water.”[5]

For nearly 50 years he corresponded with Sir William Hooker, and his son, directors of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Many plants were named in his honour.

Forty three years after arriving in Dominica, Imray was joined by Dr Henry A Alford Nicholls, an English physician who had also qualified in Scotland. It turned out that Nicholls shared many interests with Imray, especially local diseases and horticulture.

Dr Imray played a prominent part in the politics of Dominica and, "as the leading member of the Executive Council, he was the trusted and honoured adviser of all the governors."[3] He lived at St Aroment, an estate just outside Roseau. After his death the property passed to Nicholls and his growing family.

John Imray did not marry. He died of dysentery at his home at St Aroment on 22 August 1880.[6] After funeral obsequies at Dr Nicholls' residence the following day he was buried at St George's Church, Roseau. To the north of the west door his memorial reads:-

IN MEMORY OF
THE HONORABLE JOHN IMRAY, M.D.
BORN IN FORFARSHIRE, SCOTLAND JANUARY 11TH 1811
DIED AT ST. AROMENT, DOMINICA AUGUST 22ND, 1880,
THE DECEASED LEFT SCOTLAND IN 1832 AND ARRIVED
IN DOMINICA TOWARDS THE CLOSE OF THAT YEAR.

The memorial was "Erected by W. Macintyre and W. Stedman his friends".[7] The two men were Lloyds of London’s Dominica Agents, in 1889 and 1891, respectively.[8]

A ward in the Princess Margaret Hospital in the capital was named after Imray. A new hospital, funded by China and to be named Dominica China Friendship Hospital, is being constructed in seven phases on the same site.[9] The first section opened in September 2019.[10]

Other Publications
  • Observations Illustrating the Characters of a Febrile Epidemic which Prevailed in Dominica in 1838.[11]
  • Observations on the Mal d'Estomac or Cachexia Africana, as It Takes Place among the Negroes of Dominica[12]
  • Observations on the Nature, Causes, and Treatment of Yellow Fever[13]
  • Monkeys in the West Indies[14]

References
  1. "Surgical Examinations in Edinburgh". The Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal. North Bridge, Edinburgh: Adam Black. 36: 231. 1831.
  2. Imray, Keith (1845). "Cases of Diabetes, with Observations, shewing the influence of a warm climate in the cure of that disease". The Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal. Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black. 63: 65-.
  3. "Obituary. The Honourable John Imray, M.D.". The British Medical Journal. 2 (1033): 644. 16 October 1880.
  4. Imray, John (1848). "Observations on the Characters of Endemic Fever in the Island of Dominica". The Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal. 70: 253–287.
  5. Imray M.D., John (1862). "The Useful Woods of the Island of Dominica". The Technologist. 2: 382–391.
  6. "Announcement", The Courier, Dominica, 23 August 1880
  7. Oliver, Vere Langord (1993). More Monumental Inscriptions: Tombstones of the British West Indies. The Borgo Press/Wildside Press. p. 327. ISBN 0-89370-322-2.
  8. "Company celebrates 90th anniversary of Whitchurch's appointment as Lloyds Agent". Da Vibes: The Caribbean News Portal. Vibes Media Group. 26 July 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  9. "First phase of new national hospital to be completed in May; hospital to be renamed". Dominica News Online. Dominica News Online, Duravision Inc, Roseau, Dominica. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  10. "Opening of new hospital section signals radical improvement of health sector says Skerrit". Dominica News Online. Dominica News Online, Duravision Inc, Roseau, Dominica. 8 September 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  11. Imray, John (1 January 1840). "Observations Illustrating the Characters of a Febrile Epidemic Which Prevailed in Dominica in 1838". Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal. Edinburgh. 53(142): 78–95.
  12. Imray, John (1 April 1843). "Observations on the Mal d'Estomac or Cachexia Africana, as It Takes Place among the Negroes of Dominica". Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal. Edinburgh. 59(155): 304–321.
  13. Imray, John (1 October 1845). "Observations on the Nature, Causes, and Treatment of Yellow Fever". Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal. Edinburgh. 64(165): 318–340.
  14. Imray, John (1880). "Monkeys in the West Indies". Nature. 21: 371–72.
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