Background
Born in Scotland in 1700, he was the son of the historian George Martine.
Born in Scotland in 1700, he was the son of the historian George Martine.
He was educated at the University of Saint Andrews, where during Jacobite rebellion of 1715, he headed a riot of some students of the college, who rang the college bells on the day that the Old Pretender was proclaimed. He later studied medicine, first at the University of Edinburgh (1720), and then at the University of Leyden, graduating Doctor of Medicine
There in 1725. He then returned to Scotland and settled in practice at Saint Andrews. In October 1740 Martine accompanied Charles Cathcart, 8th Lord Cathcart, as physician to the forces on the British expedition during the War of Jenkins" Ear, to attack the Spanish possessions in America. After the death of Lord Cathcart, on Dominica, 20 December 1740, he was attached as first physician to the expedition against Cartagena under Edward Vernon (see Battle of Cartagena de Indias).
While there he contracted a "bilious fever", of which he died in 1741.
He had been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in his absence.
Royal Society.
