He learned his trade in London and practised on Norwich, initially from his father"s house and later in the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. Dalrymple was born in 1772 in Norwich, England, where his father, a native of Dumfriesshire and relative of the Stair family, had settled.
He was educated at Norwich School under Doctor Parr, and among his school friends was Edward Maltby, afterwards bishop of Durham.
He received attention for successfully performing of the then rare operation of tying the carotid artery. After an apprenticeship in London to Messrs. Devaynes & Hingeston, court apothecaries, and studying at the Borough hospitals under Henry Cline and Astley Cooper, he returned to Norwich in 1793 and opened a surgery in his father"s house.
His ardent advocacy of liberal opinions retarded his progress for some years, and it was not till 1812 that he became assistant-surgeon of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, being elected a full surgeon in 1814.
In 1813 he attracted great attention by his successful performance of the then rare operation of tying the common carotid artery. He formed a valuable collection of anatomical and pathological preparations, which he gave to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on his retirement from practice in 1844.
Among them was John Dalrymple (1803–1852). He retired entirely from practice in 1844.
His last years were passed in London, where he died on 5 December 1847.
George Thomas Bettany, writing in the Dictionary of National Biography, described Dalrymple"s character: "His sense of responsibility and honour was high, his character and conversation were elevated, and his teaching judicious.".
