Rutherford, Daniel

1749-1819

Daniel Rutherford was born in Edinburgh and educated at the university there, where his father held the first chair of the Theory and Practice of Medicine. After spending three years examining continental medical practices he set up his own in Edinburgh. He became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and later its secretary and president. In 1786 he was appointed Professor of Medicine and Botany at Edinburgh as well as Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden. He also succeeded Dr Cullen as Physician to the Royal Infirmary.
He was a pupil of Joseph Black who discovered carbon dioxide. In 1772 after the death of many mice in experiments Daniel described his discovery of 'noxious' or 'phlogisticated' air, now known as nitrogen.
Daniel and his two sisters took ill on the same day and died within a weak of each other. His sister Anne was the mother of Sir Walter Scott.

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