Prof Robert Freer (or Frier) FRSE FRCPE (1745-1827) was a soldier and academic, who taught Medicine at the University of Glasgow. He was Regius Professor of Medicine from 1796 until death (31 years). He was twice President of the Medical Society of Edinburgh (1772-4 and 1775-8). He was President of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow in 1797.
Life
He was born in Perthshire. He studied Medicine at Aberdeen University graduating MA in 1765. He then did further studies at both Edinburgh University and Leyden University in Holland. In 1776 he was recorded as a member of the Glasgow Literary Society. In the same year he gave an eloquent speech to the Medical Society of Edinburgh whilst acting as their Senior President.
In early life he served as an Ensign and military surgeon both in Europe and in the American war of independence. In 1779 he settled in Glasgow as a physician, in which year Glasgow University gave him his doctorate (MD). From 1796 he was Professor of Medicine at Glasgow University jointly acting as head Physician at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. In the same year he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, his proposers being Daniel Rutherford, James Finlayson and Thomas Charles Hope. He had previously (1793) been unsuccessfully proposed by Daniel Rutherford, James Hutton and John Walker.
Whilst teaching he lived at the College Court within the university.
In 1816 he is listed as a Director of the Glasgow Lunatic Asylum.
He died in Glasgow on 9 April 1827.