born June 7, 1811, Bathgate, Linlithgowshire, Scot.
died May 6, 1870, London, Eng.
Scottish obstetrician.
He received his M.D. from the University of Edinburgh, where he became professor of obstetrics. After news of the use of ether in surgery in Boston reached Scotland, Simpson employed it in obstetrics to relieve labour pains (1847) and later substituted chloroform, which he continued to use despite opposition from obstetricians and the clergy. He also introduced iron-wire sutures, the use of pressure to stop bleeding, and Simpson forceps (long obstetrical forceps).