Alexander Monro (primus)

Alexander Monro (September 19, 1697 – July 10, 1767) was the founder of Edinburgh Medical School. To distinguish him as the first of three generations of physicians of the same name, he is known as primus.

Monro was born of Scots parentage in London, and studied there, and at Paris and Leiden. He was appointed lecturer on Anatomy by the Surgeons' Company at Edinburgh in 1719; two years later he became professor, and in 1725 was admitted to the University. He was a principal promoter and early clinical lecturer in the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, and continued his clinical work after resigning his chair to his son Alexander secundus.

He wrote several medical works, and was a Fellow of the Royal Society.