North Vigor was born in Manchester in 1724 to a Quaker family. He studied at the University of Edinburgh, earning his MD in 1747 for his thesis 'On Diabetes'. In 1749 he entered a six-year post as Junior Physician at the Army Hospital in St Petersburg. Returning to Britain in 1755, he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 1758 and established a practice in Bodmin, Cornwall. In 1766 he returned to Russia as physician to the Grand Duke Paul's household. Vigor died in St Petersburg in 1769.

Gregory Grant was born in Moray circa 1726. He studied at Leiden and received his MD from the University of Rheims in 1753. Marischal College later awarded him a second MD in recognition of that degree. After establishing a practice in Edinburgh, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 1758 and served as President from 1777 to 1779. In 1783 he was recorded as lecturing on the theory and practice of physic at the Edinburgh Medical School. Grant was the son-in-law of the second Baronet of Monymusk and became Chief of Clan Allan, a sept of Clan Grant, in 1777. He died in Edinburgh in 1803.

Alexander Monro secundus was born in Edinburgh on 20 May 1733, the third son of Alexander Monro primus. Educated at James Mundell's private school, he later studied arts and medicine at the University of Edinburgh before training under William Hunter in London and studying anatomy in Paris. In 1757 he returned to Edinburgh to assist his father and took over the anatomy lectureship in 1758, which he held for fifty years. He married Katherine Inglis on 25 September 1762 and they had five children. Monro suffered an attack of apoplexy in 1813 and died on 2 October 1817.

Bust: Alexander Monro secundus

Biography: Alexander Monro secundus

Adam Murray received his medical degree from the University of St Andrews on 19 December 1726. He then studied under Herman Boerhaave at Leiden and later spent several months in Paris learning surgical technique. Murray was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh on 13 August 1743, the same date on which he was licensed to practise.

Stuart Threipland studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh and in 1737 helped to found the student society later known as the Royal Medical Society, which received a Royal Charter in 1778. After qualifying he practised in Edinburgh. In 1745 he joined the Jacobite army and served as senior medical officer, including at Culloden. After the defeat he went to France, returning under the 1747 amnesty to resume private practice in Edinburgh. He served as President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh from 1766 to 1770.

Biography: Stuart Threipland

John Cochrane left London in 1714 to work as a surgeon's mate on a voyage to Guinea, later practising as a surgeon in partnership in Kingston, Jamaica. He received his medical degree from the University of Glasgow on 5 May 1744 and was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh on 15 May 1744, the same day he was licensed to practise.

Alexander Campbell received his medical degree from the University of St Andrews on 30 April 1746 and was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh on 6 May 1746. Alongside his medical practice, he published a work on the history of Scottish poetry.

Thomas Lidderdale received his medical degree from the University of St Andrews on 20 October 1747 and was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh on 2 February 1748. His wife was Susan Hepburn.

John Boswell was born in Auchinleck, Ayrshire, and studied medicine at the University of Leiden, where he was the last British student to be promoted by Herman Boerhaave. He received his MD from Leiden in 1736 and was elected President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 1770. Boswell was the uncle of the biographer James Boswell, who described him as 'an elegant scholar and a physician bred in the school of Boerhaave'. He died in Edinburgh on 15 May 1780.

Painting: John Boswell

David Clerk was the son of Dr John Clerk, former President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and cousin of the first Baronet Clerk of Penicuik. Born in Edinburgh, he studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, writing his thesis 'On Rheumatism' in 1746. He worked as a physician at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh until his death in 1768. His son, James Clerk-Rattray, was a lawyer and later Baron of the Exchequer.