Background
Born in Edinburgh in 1819, he was the son of George Imlach WS, an Edinburgh lawyer, with offices at 10 Street Andrew Square.
Born in Edinburgh in 1819, he was the son of George Imlach WS, an Edinburgh lawyer, with offices at 10 Street Andrew Square.
He helped to raise the profile of dentistry from a back street trade to full professional status. Became a Licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1841 and was raised to Fellow in 1856. He thereafter acted as Examiner to students.
In 1860, together with Doctor John Smith and Doctor Robert Orphoot he co-founded the Edinburgh Dental Dispensary at 1 Drummond Street.
He had his main dental practice at 48 Queen Street, a very prestigious address both then and now, and only a few doors from James Young Simpson"s offices at 52 Queen Street. He was one of only two dentists to ever become President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh (RCSE).
He served from 1879 to 1881. He also served as President of the Royal Scottish Society of the Arts 1887-1889.
Manager of the Dean Orphanage
Manager of the Edinburgh Royal Lunatic Asylum in Morningside (commonly known just as the “Royal Edinburgh”).
President of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts
Church Elder at Saint Stephens Church in Stockbridge
Whilst James Young Simpson is credited with the first use of chloroform on a human, he did not invent lieutenant Simpson’s first such use, on the evening of 4 November 1847, was on himself and two doctor friends, at a dinner party. This was followed 4 days later by Simpson’s first use on a patient, Wilhelmina Carstairs, the daughter of a doctor.
Imlach holds the claim to fame of the first use of chloroform in a dental context.
This, on the afternoon of 11 November 1847, was used to help a tooth extraction on a fellow dentist, James Darsie Morrison. He collapsed whilst walking on Christmas Eve 1891 and died before reaching hospital.
He is buried on the largely unseen southern lower terrace of Dean Cemetery, towards its eastern education The large bronze plaque to his memory has been stolen.
Member of the Royal Company of Archers.
