Thomas Young was born in 1726. He was elected Professor of Midwifery at Edinburgh University on February 18, 1756. He made a number of changes to the curriculum, including establishing a formal class in midwifery for medical students and delivering instruction as a formal course of lectures. He also worked to dispel the common conception that educating female midwives was unnecessary and created a maternity ward at the Royal Infirmary at his own expense. In 1780, Young felt it necessary to divide his responsibilities with a colleague and he and Dr. Alexander Hamilton were appointed joint Professors of Midwifery on November 15. Young died in 1783.