Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Spillan, Daniel
SPILLAN, DANIEL (d. 1854), scholar and medical writer, graduated B.A. from Trinity College, Dublin, in 1822, and proceeded M.A. and M.B. in 1826. On 13 April 1826 he was admitted a licentiate of the King and Queen's College of Physicians in Ireland, and was elected a fellow on 7 June 1830. He removed to London, and made a vain effort to maintain himself there by practising his profession. He was equally unsuccessful in his literary enterprises, and being reduced to destitution, died in St. Pancras workhouse on 20 June 1854, leaving a wife and family. A son of his died of phthisis in the workhouse immediately after.
Spillan was the author of: 1. ‘A Manual of Chemistry,’ London, 1837, 24mo. 2. ‘A Manual of Percussion and Auscultation as employed in the Diagnosis of Diseases of the Chest and Abdomen,’ London, 1837, 24mo. 3. ‘Libamenta Praxeos Medicæ,’ London, 1838, 16mo. 4. ‘A Collection of Medical Formulæ from the most Eminent Physicians,’ London, 1838, 24mo. 5. ‘A Manual of General Therapeutics,’ London, 1841, 8vo. 6. ‘A Manual of Clinical Medicine,’ London, 1842, 12mo. 7. ‘Thesaurus Medicaminum,’ London, 1842, 12mo. 8. ‘The Homœopathic Prescribers' Pharmacopœia,’ London, 1850, 16mo.
He also wrote a preface to Ray's ‘Treatise on the Medical Jurisprudence of Insanity,’ and he translated: 1. Andral's ‘Clinique Médicale,’ London, 1836, 8vo. 2. Schill's ‘Outlines of Pathological Semeiology,’ London, 1839, 8vo. 3. Teste's ‘Practical Manual of Animal Magnetism,’ London, 1843, 8vo. 4. Jahr's ‘Homœopathic Handbook,’ London, 1851, 8vo.
In addition to his medical works, Spillan, who was a good classical scholar, translated with critical notes: 5. ‘The Oration of Æschines against Ctesiphon,’ Dublin, 1823, 12mo. 6. Sophocles's ‘Antigone’ and ‘Œdipus Colonæus,’ Dublin, 1831, 8vo. 7. Tacitus's ‘Germania’ and ‘Agricola,’ 1833, 12mo. 8. ‘The History of Rome by Titus Livius,’ vol. i. (Bohn's Classical Library), 1848, 8vo.
[Gent. Mag. 1854, ii. 203; Cat. of Dublin Graduates, p. 530; Register of College of Physicians in Ireland, pp. 96, 107; Lancet, 24 June 1854.]