Doctor Rankin of Carluke

DANIEL REID RANKIN belonged to that race of Scottish doctors of strongly marked individuality, not to say idiosyncrasy, of simple tastes, of high scientific attainments, of rough manner, but of kind and generous heart, and of whimsical freakish humour. Dr Rankin lived all his life in the upland parish of Carluke, moving about in the homes of the people, a man of culture and of science, speaking their broad dialect, roughly rebuking their faults, castigating with his sardonic wit, vanity, shams, hypocrisy, and meanness, wherever he found them in those of high or low estate, attending his poorer neighbours gratuitously in their sickness, and comforting them in sorrows and afflictions. In his secular sphere he exercised a spiritual authority and not less potent than that by the Minister, Auld Kirk, Auld Licht, Free, or United Presbyterian over his flock.

ALEXANDER MACCALLUM SCOTT M.P.
DORSET, JUNE 1916