Educated at the Windmill Street School and at St George's Hospital. He very early showed himself to be an accomplished anatomist and a skilful surgeon, but when he applied (1834) for an appointment as Assistant Surgeon at his old hospital he was rejected after a very severe contest, in favour of Edward Cutler (qv), who had the support of Sir Benjamin Brodie. Lane thought himself hardly treated, and severed his connection with the hospital. He founded a rival school in its neighbourhood, and secured the co-operation of a staff of brilliant teachers, including such names as Vesalius Pettigrew, Ballard, Pilcher, Thomas King Chambers, Rogers, Billings, and Marcet, to whom in later years were added Spencer Wells, Spencer Smith, William Adams, his nephew James Robert Lane (qv), Ernest Hart, and the Parisian Deville. The school, which was built out at the back of his house at 1 Grosvenor Place and extended into the once famous Tattersall's Yard, very soon became well known, for Lane excelled as a teacher and was a master in clear exposition, in the application of his deep anatomical knowledge to practical surgical principles and details, and in rousing the enthusiasm of his pupils and enforcing discipline. St Mary's Hospital was founded in 1852, soon after the success of the Grosvenor Place School had become assured. This foundation owed very much to Lane's efforts. He was elected Senior Surgeon to St Mary's Hospital in 1852, and many of his colleagues followed him. Of these, James R Lane, Spencer Smith, and Thomas King Chambers became prominent figures in the new school to which Lane early transferred his valuable museum and collections. He was also at an early date elected on the surgical staff of the Lock Hospital, and was a Member of the Council from 1863-1871 and of the Court of Examiners of the Royal College of Surgeons from 1868-1873. He was a well-known Fellow of the Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society, a Member of the Council in 1849, and Vice-President in 1865. Lane is described as a man of untiring energy and indomitable resolution. As a surgeon he was skilful, wide in his views, and opposed to every form of specialism. An old pupil writes of him that he was one of the first to practise ovariotomy, but he declined to commit himself to a special career as an abdominal surgeon, although he knew that by doing so he might win wealth and distinction. The same writer also tells us that Lane once commenced a series of papers on syphilis. Six of these papers had been published in the Lancet and were attracting great attention, when their author suddenly refused to carry them further, the reason he gave being that they would bring him what he did not wish - a reputation and a fortune as a specialist. Lane was a gentleman of the older school, and in his dress always retained the old-fashioned swallow-tailed coat and black satin stock. He long outlived his contemporaries, but to the last the kindly old gentleman was known as 'honest Sam Lane'. He spent the close of his long life in a quiet and happy country retirement at his residence, St Mary's, Madeley Road, Ealing. Retaining his full mental activity to the last, he died peacefully at Ealing on August 2nd, 1892. His connection with St Mary's Hospital and syphilology was continued by his nephew, James Robert Lane (qv) and his great-nephew, James Ernest Lane (qv). A proof engraving by W Walker, after the portrait by Mrs E Walker, is in the College Collection; it was published by the engraver on Dec 1st, 1848. Publications: Edited Cooper's *Surgical Dictionary*, 8th ed., 1861-72. Article on the "Lymphatic System" in the *Cyclopaedia of Anatomical Physiology*. "Lectures on Syphilis." - *Lancet*, 1841-2, i, ii; 1842-3, i, *passim*. "On the Blood." - *Ibid*, 1839-40, i, 121, and *Guy's Hosp Rep*, 1841, ser 1, vi, 379 .