Alexander Hill (neurologist)

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Alexander Hill OBE FRCS FRCP
Alexander Hill c. 1891

Principal of Southampton University College
In office January 1913 (1913-01) – 1920 (1920)
Preceded by	Spencer Richardson
Succeeded by	Thomas Tudor Loveday
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge
In office 1897 (1897)–1899 (1899)
Preceded by	Charles Smith
Succeeded by	William Chawner
Master of Downing College, Cambridge
In office 1888 (1888)–1907 (1907)
Preceded by	William Lloyd Birkbeck
Succeeded by	Frederick Howard Marsh

Personal details
Born	1856 (1856) Loughton, Essex, England
Died	28 February 1929(1929-02-28) (aged 72–73) Southampton, England
Spouse	Emma Woodward (m. 1878)
Children	2
Alma mater	University College School Downing College, Cambridge
Occupation	Medical doctor, professor

Alexander Hill (1856 – 28 February 1929) was a medical doctor and professor who was Master of Downing College, Cambridge from 1888 to 1907 and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1897 to 1899. He was Principal of Southampton University College from 1913 to 1920.

A brain specialist, he was the first person to use the term 'neuron' in English to describe the nerve cell and its processes, in his 1891 translation of a German paper summarizing the lectures of Heinrich Wilhelm Gottfried von Waldeyer-Hartz.

Early life

Hill was born at Loughton, Essex, England, the son of John Hill, a trader on the London Stock Exchange.

He attended University College School in London and then Downing College, Cambridge, matriculating in 1874, gaining a scholarship, taking first-class honours in the Natural Sciences Tripos in 1877, graduating B.A. 1878, M.A. 1881, M.B. 1882, M.D. 1886. He completed his medical training at St Bartholomew's Hospital.

Career

Elected a Fellow of Downing College in 1880, Hill lectured on the histology and anatomy of the brain. He was Hunterian Professor at the Royal College of Surgeons from 1884 to 1885. He was Master of Downing College from 1888 to 1907 and Vice-Chancellor of the university from 1897 to 1899. As Vice-Chancellor, he startled some critics by inviting the actor Sir Henry Irving to deliver the Rede Lecture in 1898. Irving was awarded an honorary Litt.D., prompting one Cambridge graduate to request that the Vice-Chancellor erase his name from the university register.

Elected a member of The Physiological Society in 1885, Hill was also a founding member of the Neurological Society of London in 1886, serving as the society's President in 1896. He was appointed FRCS in 1907.

University College Southampton

Hill was appointed a commissioner for the Treasury in 1901 to report on universities and colleges. In 1902 he carried out an inspection of Southampton University College for the University Commission with a colleague, with a further inspection in 1907. This followed the Education Act 1902. The commissioners found insufficient money for local student accommodation; poor entry criteria which were well below normal university entry standards; teaching not up to university standard; and poor buildings not up to university teaching standards. With the threat of failing to continue with university college status, the financial situation was improved with local money from Southampton Borough Council and Hampshire County Council. Although in retirement, and with some hesitation, Hill was persuaded to undertake the rallying of a badly shaken college and building it into a university. In 1912 Hill accepted the position of Principal and took office in January 1913.

In a short period Hill changed the whole situation and won the confidence of staff, students and college council. New appointments and expansion into new fields, including Economics backed with an external London University BSc, Pharmaceuticals, Civil and Mechanical Engineering and also Architecture and building. For improved accommodation a lease was taken out on Highfield Hall, a former country house overlooking Southampton Common, but only for a limited number of staff and students. Hill and his family also occupied a house on the site.

In spring 1914, plans were made for a larger Hall of Residence. In early summer an arts block with 28 large and many smaller lecture rooms and a connecting block for biology, chemistry, physics and engineering opened on 20 June. Then, eight days later, the First World War began, with profound implications for the future of the university. The war prevented the move from Hartley College to Highfield campus for five years and disrupted Hills plans. The new buildings were given over to the War Office for use as a hospital, as was Highfield Hall for the Red Cross. During the war Hill acted as Medical Officer to the Red Cross hospital and made channel crossings on hospital ships tending to the wounded. Student numbers and finances suffered severely. It was 1919–1920 when the War Office had finally moved out and the new buildings could be occupied at last and Highfield Hall re-occupied and the move to the Highfield campus made, after which Hill resigned.

Personal life

In 1878 he married Emma Woodward and they had a son and daughter. He died at Southampton; his wife survived him.

References

^ Royal College of Surgeons, Biography of Fellows, 13 April 2012, accessed 24 August 2013
^ The University of Southampton (1962) A. Temple Patterson, Southampton University Press, ASIN: B0000CLFGC
Mehta, Arpan R.; Mehta, Puja R.; Anderson, Stephen P.; MacKinnon, Barbara L. H.; Compston, Alastair (1 January 2020). "Etymology and the neuron(e)". Brain. 143 (1): 374–379. doi:10.1093/brain/awz367. ISSN 0006-8950. PMC 6935745. PMID 31844876.
^ "Hill, Alexander (HL874A)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
"Irving, Henry (IRVN898H)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
Compston, Alastair (January 2012). "From The Archives". Brain. 135 (1): 4–8. doi:10.1093/brain/awr344.
The Education Act 1902, How to Make the Best of It The Fabian Society, accessed 24 August 2013
Patterson, Alfred Temple (1962). The University of Southampton: A Centenary History of the Evolution and Development of the University of Southampton, 1862-1962. University of Southampton. p. 132.

Academic offices
Preceded byWilliam Lloyd Birkbeck	Master of Downing College, Cambridge 1888-1907	Succeeded byFrederick Howard Marsh
Preceded byCharles Smith	Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1897-1899	Succeeded byWilliam Chawner
Preceded bySpencer Richardson	Principal of Southampton University College 1913 - 1920	Succeeded byThomas Tudor Loveday

v t e Masters of Downing College, Cambridge
Francis Annesley William Frere Thomas Worsley William Lloyd Birkbeck Alexander Hill Frederick Howard Marsh Albert Seward Herbert Richmond Lionel Whitby William Keith Chambers Guthrie Morien Morgan John Butterfield Peter Mathias David King Stephen Fleet Barry Everitt Geoffrey Grimmett Alan Bookbinder Graham Virgo

v t e Vice-Chancellors of the University of Cambridge
15th century	Thomas Ashwell Henry Stockton Nicholas de Swaffham Nicholas Gay William Millington John Roclyffe Thomas Stoyle William Uttyng William Smyth Edmund Conisborough Thomas Stoyle William Towne Thomas Tuppin John Riplingham John Camberton William Rawson William Stockdale John Dolman Henry Rudd John Smith John Smith Henry Babington
16th century	John Fisher Humphrey Fitzwilliam Geoffrey Knight John Smith Richard Burton John Eccleston William Robson William Buckenham Thomas Thompson John Fawne John Eccleston Robert Dowsing Edmund Natares John Watson Edmund Natares Thomas Stackhouse John Edmunds Thomas Green Henry Bullock Edmund Natares John Edmunds William Buckmaster John Watson Simon Haynes John Crayford Francis Mallet George Day William Buckmaster John Edmunds Francis Mallet Richard Standish John Edmunds Richard Standish John Edmunds Sir Thomas Smith John Madew Matthew Parker John Madew William Bill Matthew Parker Walter Haddon John Madew Andrew Perne Edward Hawford Edwin Sandys John Young William Glyn Cuthbert Scott Andrew Perne John Pory Robert Brassey Edmund Cosyn Andrew Perne Henry Harvey Philip Baker Francis Newton Edward Hawford Robert Beaumont John Stokes Robert Beaumont Roger Kelke Richard Longworth John Young John May John Whitgift Roger Kelke Thomas Byng John Whitgift Andrew Perne John Still Roger Goad Richard Howland Thomas Byng John Hatcher Andrew Perne William Fulke John Bell Richard Howland Robert Norgate Humphrey Tindall John Copcot Thomas Legge Thomas Nevile Thomas Preston Robert Some Thomas Legge John Still John Duport Roger Goad John Jegon Robert Some John Jegon
17th century	John Duport William Smith John Cowell Richard Clayton Samuel Harsnett Roger Goad Thomas Jegon John Duport Fogge Newton Barnabas Gooch (or Goche) Valentine Cary Clement Corbet Samuel Harsnett Owen Gwyn John Hills John Richardson William Branthwaite John Gostlin Robert Scott Samuel Ward Leonard Mawe Jerome Beale Thomas Paske John Mansell John Gostlin Henry Smyth Thomas Bainbridge Matthew Wren Henry Butts Thomas Comber Benjamin Lany Richard Love William Beale Henry Smyth Thomas Comber Ralph Brownrigg John Cosin Richard Holdsworth Ralph Brownrigg Thomas Hill John Arrowsmith Anthony Tuckney Thomas Horton Benjamin Whichcote Samuel Bolton Richard Minshull Lazarus Seaman John Lightfoot Theophilus Dillingham John Worthington John Bond William Dillingham Henry Ferne Henry Ferne Edward Rainbowe William Dillingham James Fleetwood Anthony Sparrow Francis Wilford John Howorth James Fleetwood Edmund Boldero James Duport John Breton Robert Mapletoft William Wells John Spencer Edmund Boldero Isaac Barrow Sir Thomas Page Thomas Holbech Francis Turner John Eachard Humphrey Gower Nathaniel Coga John Copleston Henry James Samuel Blyth William Saywell John Peachell John Balderston John Montagu John Covel James Johnson Charles Roderick Gabriel Quadring George Oxenden William Stanley Thomas Browne John Eachard Henry James Sir William Dawes Thomas Green Richard Bentley
18th century	Thomas Richardson Charles Ashton George Bramston Sir John Ellys Bardsey Fisher John Balderston Edward Lany John Covel Charles Roderick Nathaniel Lloyd Gabriel Quadring John Adams Thomas Green Thomas Sherlock Daniel Waterland William Grigg Sir Thomas Gooch Thomas Crosse Andrew Snape William Savage John Davies Joseph Craven Robert Lambert John Frankland Robert Lambert Matthias Mawson Charles Morgan Roger Long William Towers John Adams John Wilcox William Richardson John Whalley Edward Hubbard Sir Edward Simpson William Sedgwick Robert Smith William George Kenrick Prescot George Rooke Edmund Castle Francis Parris Thomas Chapman Edmund Keene John Wilcox Philip Yonge Hugh Thomas Edmund Law John Sumner John Green Lynford Caryl Sir James Burrough George Sandby Robert Plumptre Peter Godard William Elliston John Barnardiston William Samuel Powell John Smith Sir James Marriott John Hinchliffe William Richardson John Sumner James Brown William Cooke Lynford Caryl Hon. Barton Wallop Richard Farmer John Chevallier Hugh Thomas Robert Plumptre William Colman Lowther Yates John Barker Richard Beadon John Torkington Peter Peckard Joseph Turner Sir James Marriott William Elliston Richard Farmer Francis Barnes William Pearce William Craven Thomas Postlethwaite Isaac Milner William Colman Lowther Yates Philip Douglas Richard Fisher Belward Robert Cory Humphrey Sumner William Lort Mansel William Gretton
19th century	Joseph Proctor Humphrey Sumner Martin Davy John Torkington Joseph Turner William Pearce Francis Barnes Edward Pearson Isaac Milner Philip Douglas Thomas Browne John Davie Robert Cory William Chafy George Thackeray John Kaye James Wood William Webb George Neville William Frere Christopher Wordsworth William French Henry Godfrey John Lamb Thomas Le Blanc Joseph Proctor Christopher Wordsworth Martin Davy Gilbert Ainslie William Chafy George Thackeray John Graham William Webb Joshua King William French George Archdall Gilbert Ainslie Thomas Worsley William Hodgson Ralph Tatham John Graham George Archdall William Whewell William Hodgson Robert Phelps Ralph Tatham Henry Philpott Robert Phelps Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell George Corrie Richard Okes James Pulling Thomas Geldart Edwin Guest William Whewell Henry Philpott William Henry Bateson Latimer Neville George Phillips Edward Atkinson Henry Wilkinson Cookson James Cartmell William Hepworth Thompson Edward Atkinson John Power Henry Wilkinson Cookson Samuel Phear Edward Atkinson John Power Edward Perowne James Porter Norman Macleod Ferrers Charles Swainson Charles Taylor Charles Edward Searle Henry Montagu Butler John Peile Augustus Austen Leigh Charles Smith Alexander Hill William Chawner
20th century	Adolphus Ward Frederic Chase Edward Beck Ernest Stewart Roberts Arthur James Mason Robert Forsyth Scott Stuart Alexander Donaldson M. R. James Thomas Fitzpatrick Arthur Shipley Peter Giles Edmund Pearce Albert Seward George Weekes Thomas Fitzpatrick Allen Beville Ramsay Will Spens J. F. Cameron Godfrey Wilson Henry Roy Dean Ernest Alfred Benians John Archibald Venn Thomas Hele Henry Thirkill Charles E. Raven Sydney Castle Roberts Sir Lionel Whitby Henry Willink Brian Downs Edgar Adrian Herbert Butterfield Ivor Jennings John Boys Smith Arthur Armitage Eric Ashby Owen Chadwick William Alexander Deer Jack Linnett Rosemary Murray Alan Cottrell Peter Swinnerton-Dyer Harry Hinsley John Butterfield Richard Adrian, 2nd Baron Adrian Michael McCrum
Full-time	Sir David Williams Sir Alec Broers Dame Alison Richard Sir Leszek Borysiewicz Stephen Toope Deborah Prentice

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