William Henry Duncan

This article is about the English physician. For the missionary who worked with the Tsimshian, see William Duncan (missionary).

William Henry Duncan (27 January 1805 – 23 May 1863), also known as Doctor Duncan, was an English Doctor who worked in Liverpool as its first Medical Officer of Health and also Britain's first Chief Medical Officer..

He was born in Liverpool to Scottish parents. He was the nephew of James Currie, an earlier influential Liverpool physician. He was also the nephew of Henry Duncan of Ruthwell and received his early education in Scotland, under Henry Duncan's protection. William Henry Duncan qualified as a Medical Doctor in Edinburgh, returning to Liverpool to work in General Practice. He was appointed Medical Officer of Health on 1 January 1847. He is buried in Westpark, Elgin.

A pub in Liverpool called Doctor Duncan's is named in his honour. One of the buildings of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Liverpool is named after William Duncan, The Duncan Building, whose entrance is on Daulby Street.

External links

• Doctor Duncan of Liverpool: Britain's first medical officer
• Doctor William Henry Duncan (1805-1863)
• 1847 report produced by Doctor William Duncan goes online at MerseyGateway.org
• The Duncan Society at the University of Liverpool
• Doctor Duncan's pub in Liverpool
• The Liverpool slums which were the inspiration for Duncan's work.