William Guy
William Augustus Guy was a British physician and medical statistician.
Life
He was born in Chichester and educated at Christ's Hospital and Guy's Hospital; he then studied at the University of Heidelberg and the University of Paris before getting a Bachelor of Medicine degree from the University of Cambridge, 1837.In 1842, he was appointed professor of forensic medicine at King's College London and assistant physician at King's College Hospital, 1842; he was dean of the faculty of medicine, 1846–58. He also served as Medical Superintendent at Millbank Prison from 1859 to 1869, acting as a semi-official government advisor on prison health, diet and hygiene.
He edited the Journal of the Statistical Society of London, 1852–6 and was its president, 1873–5. The Society still presents the Guy Medals in his memory.
He was vice-president of the Royal Society, 1876–7, and Croonian and Lumleian lecturer, and Harveian orator at the Royal College of Physicians.
He was a founder of the Health of Towns Association and a member of the Commission on Penal Servitude and Criminal Lunacy.
Works
Guy's Principles of Forensic Medicine, first published in 1844, became a standard work; the fourth and later editions were edited by Dr. David Ferrier. Other major works were:- R. Hooper's Physician's Vade-Mecum; enlarged and improved by W.A.G.,. Based on the work by Robert Hooper.
- T. Walker's Original, edited with additions by W.A.G. 1875; another edition 1885. Based on the publication The Original by Thomas Walker.
- Public Health; a Popular Introduction to Sanitary Science, pt. i. 1870; pt. ii. 1874.
- The Factors of the Unsound Mind, with special reference to the Plea of Insanity in Criminal Cases, 1881.
- John Howard's Winter's Journey, 1882.