Purser, John Mallet (1839–1929), physiologist and professor of medicine, was born 8 November 1839 in Dublin, eldest son among nine sons and two daughters of Benjamin Purser (1815–98), corn merchant, and Anne Purser (née Mallet). He was educated in private schools before studying at the Carmichael School of Medicine, Dublin, and at TCD, graduating BA (1860), MB (1863), and MD (1874) (Dubl.); he was admitted licentiate (1863) of the RCSI, and licentiate (1865), fellow (1876), and censor (1883–5) of the (R)K&QCP(I)I He was appointed physician to the Whitworth Hospital, Drumcondra, before becoming ophthalmologist and lecturer in Dr Steevens’ Hospital medical school (1869–70), lecturer in anatomy and physiology in the Carmichael School (1869–74), and surgeon and subsequently physician (1871–4) to the Royal City of Dublin Hospital.
In 1874 his appointment as king's professor of the institutes of medicine at TCD transformed the medical school by introducing a scientific basis into medical education. Departing from former practice, he developed physiology as a key discipline; histology became compulsory for all medical students (1874); new laboratories were built; and he introduced pathology into the curriculum, giving lectures free of charge (1881–95). He gave up private practice but his professorship was combined with that of physician (1874–1901), later consultant to Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital. A skilled diagnostician, he was one of the first doctors in Dublin to introduce scientific methods into the treatment of disease. He was opposed to many of the therapeutic methods current at the beginning of his career, readily exposed the absurdity of claims made for fashionable drugs, and demonstrated repeatedly in his wards that patients left untreated by them recovered more quickly. He was described as the ‘most scientific and the clearest clinical teacher of his day’ (Medical Press and Circular, 259). Poor work invited his biting sarcasm, and students often found him intimidating; though he also earned their respect and affection, which was expressed on his resignation from the chair (1901), when they founded the student John Mallet Purser medal to commemorate his contribution to the medical school. He was subsequently persuaded to become regius professor of physic (1917–25), a post he filled with ability and tact till his resignation (1925) due to failing health. He established (1924) the John Mallet Purser Fund, giving £10,000 to promote research in the schools of physic and natural and experimental science.
His writings include an illustrated manuscript of 543 pages, which is held in the RCPI library; ‘An essay on the diseases of the spinal cord and medulla oblongata’ (1863), for which he was awarded the gold medal (1863) of the Pathological Society of Dublin; an excellent textbook Manual of histology (1884); and papers in professional journals. Awarded (1891) an hon. D.Sc. (Dubl.), he declined the nomination for the presidency of the RCPI, claiming that he was a physiologist rather than a physician. Though of a retiring nature, he spoke out strongly on occasion and argued effectively in the university senate against the anti-vivisectionist group, who had opposed the granting of an hon. D.Sc. (1892) to John Burdon Sanderson (1828–1905), professor of physiology at Oxford University.
Vice-president (1915–26) of the RDS, he enjoyed music, and read and travelled widely. He never married, and lived with his sister, the celebrated artist Sarah Purser (qv), at Mespil House, Dublin, where he died 18 September 1929; he was buried in Mount Jerome cemetery, Dublin. He is commemorated in the medical school by his sister Sarah, who donated £2,000 in 1930 for the founding of the John Mallet Purser lectureship, and by his nephew John Purser (b. 1884), professor of civil engineering at TCD, who, with others, presented a bronze head (1944) executed by John Hughes (qv). His brother Louis Claude Purser (qv), classical scholar, was vice-provost of TCD, where his nephew Francis Carmichael Purser (qv) became king's professor of the practice of medicine.