David MacNish M.A. M.B. C.M. (10 January 1861 – 21 January 1943) was an orthodox physician who converted to homeopathy to become an Assistant Physician in 1897 and later Physician to the London Homeopathic Hospital.

David MacNish was French painter Camille Pissarro‘s London homeopath.

David MacNish was a colleague of David Dyce Brown, Robert Thomas Cooper, Robert Montagu Le Hunt Cooper, Ethelbert Petrie Hoyle, James Johnstone, Henry R Madden, Edward M Madden, Edwin Awdas Neatby, Charles Thomas Knox Shaw, Sir John Weir, Charles Edwin Wheeler, Dudley d’Auvergne Wright.

David MacNish practiced at Florence Road, Ealing. In 1894 he took over Dudley Wright’s practice at 4, Leinster Square, London. MacNish later practiced at 10, Harley Street, London.

David MacNish was born in 1861. He studied in Edinburgh and received his M.A. in 1882. Five years later, in 1887, he qualified M.B. and C.M. from from the University of Edinburgh. The following year, 1888, MacNish was practicing in England at 1, Larkfield, Richmond-on-Thames, Surrey.

In December 1893 McNish, then practicing in Ealing, was elected a Member of the of the British Homeopathic Society. A few months later in April, 1894, MacNish was one of the attendees at the “Hahnemann Dinner” to celebrate the anniversary of Hahnemann’s birth and the jubilee of the Society.

MacNish became an active Member of the British Homeopathic Society. He was a Council Member in 1901, 1902, 1904 and 1905. In 1906 and 1907 he served as Vice President, and in 1909-1910 he succeeded William Cash Reed as President. At the 1911 Annual Meeting of the Society, MacNish was elected Honorary Secretary, alongside his colleague Edwin Awdas Neatby. He later became a Fellow.

In July 1906, MacNish also served as Vice President  of the British Homeopathic Congress, held at the London Homeopathic Hospital.

During the first half of 1910 MacNish spent several months in Chicago, studying with James Tyler Kent at the Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital. Before he returned to England a dinner was held in his honour in New York City on May 3rd by Dr. H. H. Baker, formerly of Chicago

In the Autumn of 1910, MacNish was the Compton Burnett Professor of Homeopathic Practice, giving a series of lectures from 14th October to 16th December on the principles contained in Hahnemann‘s Organon, and how to apply these in daily practice.

MacNish attended the 8th Quinquennial International Homeopathic Congress, held in London at the Connaught Rooms begininng on Monday 17th July 1911. On the Wednesday evening, MacNish presided “with true Masonic spirit” over a banquet held by the homeopathic Organon Lodge for their international Freemasonic brethren.

In June 1912, MacNish was elected a Member of the Royal Institute of Public Health.

In 1913 MacNish married Margaret Ann Wilson (1862 – 1944).

During the First World War, MacNish was involved with the The Anglo French American Hospital, leaving the London Homeopathic Hospital to work at the Neuilly Hospital in France, where he treated injured soldiers alongside fellow homeopath Ethelbert Petrie Hoyle. In 1916 MacNish became an officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps, being appointed to the rank of Captain.

MacNish contributed articles and papers to homeopathic publications. He wrote about a case of arthritis for The Homeopathic World in 1908. MacNish also contributed to Homeopathic Treatment for Sick Soldiers, an Open letter addressed: “To the friends of homeopathy in Great Britain” and signed by George Wyatt Truscott and eleven other names, and David MacNish, Secretary to the Provisional Committee in the Homeopathic Treatment for Sick Soldiers by British Homeopathic Society 1915.

After MacNish retired he and Margaret Ann resided in hotels. In 1919, while they were living at the Hotel Russell in London, he became a Justice of the Peace.

MacNish and Margaret Ann traveled extensively throughout the 1920s and 1930s, visiting South Africa and Jamaica on several occasions, as well as South America, before finally arriving in Prestatyn, Wales. .

He died at his residence, The Golf House, in Prestatyn on 21 January 1943. Margaret Ann died in August the following year.

Of interest:

In 1925 a book The History of the Clan Neish Or MacNish of Perthshire and Galloway was written by David MacNish and William A. Tod. It is possible this was the same David MacNish as the homeopathic physician. The Clan MacNish website is here.