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Born in Edinburgh, Robert Christison was educated at Edinburgh's High School and University. He matriculated as a medical student in 1815 and joined the class of Alexander Monro, tertius, graduating with an MD in 1819. He was a postgraduate at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, and in Paris, with particular interest in chemistry and toxicology. When Christison returned to Edinburgh he found that at the age of 24 he had been appointed Professor of Medical Jurisprudence. He was much in demand as an expert legal witness. As the chief witness in the Burke and Hare case, he was outstanding. In 1829 Professor Christison published his 'Treatise on Poisons'. After holding the chair of Medical Jurisprudence for 10 years, Christison was transferred to that of Materia Medica in Edinburgh, a position he held for 45 years.