William Cormick

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William Cormick (1822 in Tabriz – 30 December 1877), was an Iranian physician in Qajar Iran during the reigns of Mohammad Shah Qajar (1834–1848) and Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (1848–1896). He is noted for having played an important role in the diffusion of Western medicine into Iranian society.[1] He is also noted as the only westerner to have met the Báb.

Biography

Education

William Cormick was born in Tabriz to the British physician of

Society of Apothecaries, as well as being awarded a doctors degree in medicine
from St. Andrew's in London.

Career

From 1844 to 1855 Cormick worked as a physician in London and in

Russia or Great Britain.[1] Cormick returned to Tabriz, where he lived for the rest of his life, continuing to practice medicine and becoming rich.[1]

The Báb

During the

bastinadoed following his trial. This made Cormick the only Westerner recorded as having personally met the Báb.[1] He presented an account of his meetings with the Báb in a letter to an American missionary friend named J. H. Shedd.[1][5]

Awards

He was awarded the Order of the Lion and the Sun (2nd class).[1] On 19 October 1876 Cormick became a fellow of the British Royal College of Surgeons.

Personal life

Cormick was married to an Armenian woman named Tamar, who was the younger sister of Anna, the Armenian wife of Edward Burgess (merchant).[1] Cormick died on 30 December 1877, and was buried in Tabriz in the same cemetery as his father, brother and nine other Cormick family members.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Momen 1993, pp. 275–276.
  2. ^ Floor 2004, p. 169.
  3. ^ Lambton 1987, p. 203.
  4. ^ Amanat 1997, pp. 78–79.
  5. E. G. Browne
    .

Sources

  • .
  • Floor, Willem (2004). Public Health in Qajar Iran. Mage Publishers. .
  • .
  • Momen, Moojan (1993). "CORMICK, WILLIAM". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. VI, Fasc 3. pp. 275–276.

Further reading