DR. CLUCKIE may be regarded as the senior ophthalmic
surgeon in Glasgow and the West of Scotland, having practised purely as an
oculist since 1880. He was born in Campbeltown in 1852. He received his early
education at St. John's Grammar School, Hamilton, and afterwards attended
science classes in the old Andersonian University in George Street, Glasgow. He
joined the arts classes at Glasgow University in 1873, and in 1880 graduated M.B.,
C.M., and became L.F.P.S.G. He received his early training as an eye specialist
at Glasgow Ophthalmic Institution, where for five years, while still attending
the University classes, he acted as Assistant Surgeon.
At that time the importance of teaching ophthalmology was not
recognised as it now is, and it was largely due to Dr. Cluckie's initiative that
cliniques were formed for educating students and medical practitioners in this
special branch of the profession. The chairman of the managers was the late
James White of Overtoun, who annually presented valuable prizes, and contributed
much to the success of the classes, which became the largest of any medical
school in Scotland.
In 1880, on the recommendation of several of the professors
of the University, and medical friends, Dr. Cluckie was appointed first Oculist
under the newly constituted Ferguson Eye Bequest at Greenock.
Accommodation was then given at the General Infirmary in
Greenock for the treatment of eye cases, but Dr. Cluckie had only been there a
short time when he found that the requirements of an eye department were quite
insufficient for the number of cases daily seeking treatment. In recognition of
his devoted services to Provost Anderson Rodger, shipbuilder, Port-Glasgow, that
gentleman presented to Greenock the handsome Eye Hospital in which Dr. Cluckie
has carried on the successful treatment of thousands of cases during the last
twenty-eight years.
Following the success of this establishment in Greenock Dr.
Cluckie in 1888 began a similar institution in Paisley. This also proved highly
successful, and resulted in the gift to the town by Provost Archibald Mackenzie
of Milliken, as a jubilee offering, of the present Royal Victoria Eye Infirmary,
over which Dr. Cluckie also presides.
Although resident in Greenock, Dr. Cluckie carries on a large consulting
practice daily in Glasgow. There are few considerable towns in the kingdom
to-day without an ophthalmic surgeon, but twenty years ago such a specialist was
all but unknown, and to Dr. Cluckie is fairly due the credit of being the
pioneer of the development.
During his early years in Greenock, Dr. Cluckie devoted
considerable attention to municipal affairs, and for long filled the positions
of Magistrate, Burgh Treasurer and Convener of the Committee on Public Health.
On his retiral his colleagues in the Council presented him with valuable silver
plate. He is at present a member of the County Council of Argyll.
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Index of Glasgow Men (1909)