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The Beatons: A Medical Kindred in the Classical Gaelic Tradition
This book traces the Clann Meic-bethad or Clan MacBeth whose members practised medicine in the classic Gaelic tradition in various parts of Scotland from the early fourteenth to the early eighteenth century. From many medieval Gaelic manuscripts known to have been in their possession, individual members of the clan and their activities are identified. Sometime in the second half of the sixteenth century the kindred began to adopt Beaton as a surname for use in non-Gaelic contexts. The medical Beatons fell naturally into two one confined mainly to the Western Isles and the other to the mainland of Scotland. This detailed study of the Beatons and their medicine describes how the position of medical doctor was inherited by the eldest son, and potential Beaton physicians were sent out to be trained by other members of the family for several years before undertaking their own practice. The book provides information on medieval medicine at the highest levels of Highland society.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 1998
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About the author
John W.M. Bannerman
6 books2 followersJohn Walter MacDonald Bannerman was a Scottish historian, noted for his work on Gaelic Scotland.
He was born in Balmaha, Stirlingshire, the son of John MacDonald Bannerman, later Lord Bannerman of Kildonan, and his wife Ray Mundell. His family were native speakers of Scottish Gaelic, and Bannerman studied Celtic languages at the University of Glasgow and completed his doctorate at the University of Cambridge where he was taught by Kathleen Hughes.
Although he considered teaching Gaelic in schools, Bannerman instead took up a post at the Celtic department of the University of Aberdeen before joining the history department at the University of Edinburgh in 1967. He took over the running of the family farm at Balmaha in 1968, shortly before his father's death, dividing his time between teaching at the University, writing and farming.
His work on Gaelic Scotland was influential. His early works on Dál Riata, the Senchus fer n-Alban and the Iona chronicles which formed part of the later Chronicle of Ireland are contained in his 1974 book Studies in the History of Dalriada. He was a major contributor to the record of Late Medieval Monumental Sculpture in the West Highlands published in 1977 and his study of the Beaton family - The Beatons: Medical Kindred in the Classical Gaelic Tradition - appeared in 1986. In his latter years he worked on the history of the Lordship of the Isles. He retired from teaching in 1997 and took up farming full-time at Balmaha.
He was born in Balmaha, Stirlingshire, the son of John MacDonald Bannerman, later Lord Bannerman of Kildonan, and his wife Ray Mundell. His family were native speakers of Scottish Gaelic, and Bannerman studied Celtic languages at the University of Glasgow and completed his doctorate at the University of Cambridge where he was taught by Kathleen Hughes.
Although he considered teaching Gaelic in schools, Bannerman instead took up a post at the Celtic department of the University of Aberdeen before joining the history department at the University of Edinburgh in 1967. He took over the running of the family farm at Balmaha in 1968, shortly before his father's death, dividing his time between teaching at the University, writing and farming.
His work on Gaelic Scotland was influential. His early works on Dál Riata, the Senchus fer n-Alban and the Iona chronicles which formed part of the later Chronicle of Ireland are contained in his 1974 book Studies in the History of Dalriada. He was a major contributor to the record of Late Medieval Monumental Sculpture in the West Highlands published in 1977 and his study of the Beaton family - The Beatons: Medical Kindred in the Classical Gaelic Tradition - appeared in 1986. In his latter years he worked on the history of the Lordship of the Isles. He retired from teaching in 1997 and took up farming full-time at Balmaha.
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November 23, 2024A wee bit slowgoing for the first eighty pages or so but I totally understand why Bannerman felt that giving the genealogical information first was necessary (and it was still interesting, just a bit repetitive after a while). But once those chapters were out of the way very interesting analysis of both the Beatons' place in the society of the Highlands and Islands between 1300 and 1750, and of the state of the medical profession in mediaeval and early modern Scotland. Only wish there'd been more of the book, but Bannerman did a lot with what he had.
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