James Simpson was born in Bathgate a younger son of Mary Jervais and David Simpson, a baker.
He attended the local school, and in 1825, at the age of 14, entered the University of Edinburgh to study for an arts degree.
Two years later he began his medical studies at the University, graduating with an MBChB. He became a licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1830 and received his MD in 1832.
While at University he took additional classes including those delivered by the surgeon Robert Liston.
As a result of the quality of his MD thesis on inflammation, Professor of Pathology John Thomson took him on as his assistant.

As a student he became a member and then Senior President of the Royal Medical Society, initiating a lifelong interest in the Society's advancement.

His first role was as a general practitioner in the Stockbridge district based at 2 Deanhaugh Street.

At the age of 28, he succeeded James Hamilton as Professor of Medicine and Midwifery at the University of Edinburgh.

He kept a town house at 52 Queen Street, Edinburgh and a country house near Bathgate.

In religion Simpson was a devout adherent of the Free Church of Scotland, but he refused to sign the Westminster Confession of Faith, because of what he believed to be its literal interpretation of the book of Genesis.

He improved the design of obstetric forceps that to this day are known in obstetric circles as "Simpson's Forceps".
His most significant contribution was the introduction of anaesthesia to childbirth.

In 1838, he designed the Air Tractor, the earliest known vacuum extractor to assist childbirth but the method did not become popular until the invention of the ventouse over a century later.
James Simpson was born in Bathgate a younger son of Mary Jervais and David Simpson, a baker. He attended the local school, and in 1825, at the age of 14, entered the University of Edinburgh to study for an arts degree. Two years later he began his medical studies at the University, graduating with an MBChB. He became a licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1830 and received his MD in 1832. While at University he took additional classes including those delivered by the surgeon Robert Liston. As a result of the quality of his MD thesis on inflammation, Professor of Pathology John Thomson took him on as his assistant.
As a student he became a member and then Senior President of the Royal Medical Society, initiating a lifelong interest in the Society's advancement.
His first role was as a general practitioner in the Stockbridge district based at 2 Deanhaugh Street.
At the age of 28, he succeeded James Hamilton as Professor of Medicine and Midwifery at the University of Edinburgh. 
He kept a town house at 52 Queen Street, Edinburgh and a country house near Bathgate.
In religion Simpson was a devout adherent of the Free Church of Scotland, but he refused to sign the Westminster Confession of Faith, because of what he believed to be its literal interpretation of the book of Genesis.
He improved the design of obstetric forceps that to this day are known in obstetric circles as "Simpson's Forceps". His most significant contribution was the introduction of anaesthesia to childbirth.
In 1838, he designed the Air Tractor, the earliest known vacuum extractor to assist childbirth but the method did not become popular until the invention of the ventouse over a century later.
James Young Simpson