GARVINE, THOMAS [SSNE 3890]

Surname

GARVINE

First name

THOMAS

Title/rank

SURGEON

Nationality

SCOT

Region

AYR

Social status

GENTRY

Text source

Thomas Garvine (1690-1766) was born in Ayr and studied at Glasgow. By 1713 he was a surgeon in St. Petersburg through the protection of Robert Erskine. In 1715-8 he was sent on the first Russian medical mission to China where he mastered the Chinese method of smallpox innoculation. On return to Scotland he became Provost of Ayr.

F. C.Weber, The Present State of Russia, L, 1722-3; R.Burgess, 'T.Garvine - Ayrshire surgeon active in Russia' Medical History, XIX, No.1,1975; D. Fedosov, The Caledonian Connection (Aberdeen, 1996), p.42;

Service record

RUSSIA, ST PETERSBURG

Arrived 1713-01-01, as SURGEON

Departed 1715-12-31

Capacity SURGEON, DOCTOR, purpose MEDICAL DOCTOR, MEDICINE