George, a writer and lecturer on medicine, was born in the year 1736, and studied at the university of Aberdeen, where he obtained the literary degree of M.A. at the early age of 14, perhaps not altogether owing to the superior cast of his genius, or the extent of his acquirements, which could not be extraordinary in a boy of his years. He became apprentice to an uncle who practised surgery at Uppingham in Rutlandshire, when he was only 15, and afterwards went to the university of Edinburgh, where his diligence and progress attracted the attention of Dr Cullen, at that time professor of chemistry, who very generously promoted his improvement. He graduated in 1758, when only 22 years of age; after which he resided one winter at Leyden. The greater part of his patrimony being spent on his education, he resolved to try his fortune in London, where he settled in the year 1759. He commenced with a course of lectures on chemistry; and although his encouragement at first was by no means flattering, yet he steadily and diligently persevered, notwithstanding such unfavourable appearances, till his literary merit began gradually to be discovered and properly appreciated. A number of young men who came to study in London did not think that their medical course was complete, without availing themselves of the benefit of his course of lectures.

In the year 1768, he published his Elements of the Practice of Physic, which formed the text book of his medical course, and were much read as a valuable epitome of medicine. His private practice was very respectable; and in the year 1770 his medical reputation was so great, that he was chosen physician to the hospital of St Thomas, although he had to contend against a gentleman with very powerful interest; and his merit as a man of science made him a member of the Royal Society in 1776. He was chosen in 1787 a fellow of the College of Physicians; and his chemical knowledge was of singular importance to that body for a new edition of their Pharmacopoeia. By the influence of his connections, but probably more so by his literary reputation, he was appointed to furnish the navy with sour-kraut, which we believe he executed with advantage both to himself and the public.

His constitution discovered symptoms of premature decay, yet he continued to discharge his professional duties till he fell a victim to an irregular gout, and a matter in his chest, on the 25th of June 1802, in the 66th year of his age. If his lectures wanted the charms of an eloquent delivery, he made ample compensation by the originality of his ideas and his scientific information, and by a memory which was uncommonly retentive. His works are, Elements of Agriculture and Vegetation; Of the Practice of Physic; A Treatise on the Digestion of Food; and Four Dissertations on Fever.