George Fordyce
Encyclopedia
George Fordyce was a distinguished Scottish
physician, lecturer on medicine, and chemist, who was a Fellow of the Royal Society and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
.
, Aberdeenshire, where he received his schooling. Following that he attended the University of Aberdeen
where he attained the degree of Master of Arts
at the age of 14.
, in Rutland
. He later returned to Edinburgh
, where he took his degree of M.D.
in 1758; his inaugural dissertation
was on catarrh
. From Edinburgh he went to Leyden, where he studied anatomy
under the famous anatomist Bernhard Siegfried Albinus
.
In 1759 he returned to England, having decided to settle in London as a teacher and medical practitioner. Despite his relations' disapproval, he persisted, and by the end of 1759 had commenced a course of lectures upon chemistry. In 1764, he also began to lecture upon Materia medica
and the practice of physic
. He delivered these lectures for nearly 30 years.
In 1765 he became a licentiate
of the Royal College of Physicians
and in 1770 was elected physician to St Thomas' Hospital
. In 1774 he was chosen as a member of the Literary Club, in 1776 a Fellow of the Royal Society, and in 1778 a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
. This latter was chiefly to secure his assistance with a new edition of the College's Pharmacopoeia
. He was Harveian Orator in 1791.
In 1793 he assisted in setting up a small society of physicians and surgeon
s, which later published several volumes of transactions under the title of Medical and Chirurgical Transactions, and attended its meetings regularly until shortly before his death.
, by whom he had four children: two sons and two daughters. His daughter Sophia Fordyce married Samuel Bentham
(Jeremy Bentham
's brother).
He died in London in 1802 and was buried at St Anne's, Soho.
:
Published in the Medical and Chirurgical Transactions:
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
physician, lecturer on medicine, and chemist, who was a Fellow of the Royal Society and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
.
Early life
George Fordyce was born at Aberdeen in 1736, a short time after the death of his father, George Fordyce, proprietor of a small landed estate called Broadford, near the city. He was taken from home at the age of two following his mother's remarriage and was sent to FoveranFoveran
Foveran is the name of both a parish and village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The village is located 11 miles north of Aberdeen and 4 miles south-east of Ellon; the main group of houses and the village school are located adjacent to the main A90 trunk road. The hereditary baronetcy of Foveran is...
, Aberdeenshire, where he received his schooling. Following that he attended the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
where he attained the degree of Master of Arts
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
at the age of 14.
Career
Fordyce had decided to study medicine and was apprenticed to his uncle, Dr. John Fordyce, in UppinghamUppingham
Disambiguation: "Uppingham" is the colloquial name for Uppingham SchoolUppingham is a market town in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England, located on the A47 between Leicester and Peterborough, about 6 miles south of the county town, Oakham.- History :A little over a mile to the...
, in Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
. He later returned to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, where he took his degree of M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
in 1758; his inaugural dissertation
Inaugural dissertation
An inaugural dissertation is a presentation of major work by a new professor or doctor, in writing and/or in public speech, to inaugurate their professorship or doctorship. This academic ritual is traditional in much of Europe , although it is becoming less common in some countries and institutions...
was on catarrh
Catarrh
Catarrh is a disorder of inflammation of the mucous membranes in one of the airways or cavities of the body. It can result in a thick exudate of mucus and white blood cells caused by the swelling of the mucous membranes in the head in response to an infection...
. From Edinburgh he went to Leyden, where he studied anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
under the famous anatomist Bernhard Siegfried Albinus
Bernhard Siegfried Albinus
Bernhard Siegfried Albinus was a German-born Dutch anatomist.Albinus was born at Frankfurt , where his father, Bernhard Albinus , was professor of the practice of medicine...
.
In 1759 he returned to England, having decided to settle in London as a teacher and medical practitioner. Despite his relations' disapproval, he persisted, and by the end of 1759 had commenced a course of lectures upon chemistry. In 1764, he also began to lecture upon Materia medica
Materia medica
Materia medica is a Latin medical term for the body of collected knowledge about the therapeutic properties of any substance used for healing . The term 'materia medica' derived from the title of a work by the Ancient Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides in the 1st century AD, De materia medica libre...
and the practice of physic
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
. He delivered these lectures for nearly 30 years.
In 1765 he became a licentiate
Licentiate
Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a licence. The term may derive from the Latin licentia docendi, meaning permission to teach. The term may also derive from the Latin licentia ad practicandum, which signified someone who held a certificate of competence to...
of the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
and in 1770 was elected physician to St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital is a large NHS hospital in London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It has provided health care freely or under charitable auspices since the 12th century and was originally located in Southwark.St Thomas' Hospital is accessible...
. In 1774 he was chosen as a member of the Literary Club, in 1776 a Fellow of the Royal Society, and in 1778 a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
. This latter was chiefly to secure his assistance with a new edition of the College's Pharmacopoeia
Pharmacopoeia
Pharmacopoeia, pharmacopeia, or pharmacopoea, , in its modern technical sense, is a book containing directions for the identification of samples and the preparation of compound medicines, and published by the authority of a government or a medical or pharmaceutical society.In a broader sense it is...
. He was Harveian Orator in 1791.
In 1793 he assisted in setting up a small society of physicians and surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
s, which later published several volumes of transactions under the title of Medical and Chirurgical Transactions, and attended its meetings regularly until shortly before his death.
Family
In 1762 he married the daughter of Charles Stuart, Esq., conservator of Scottish privileges in the United NetherlandsUnited Netherlands
United Netherlands is an educational student-led organization that focuses on the theory and practice of international relations and diplomacy...
, by whom he had four children: two sons and two daughters. His daughter Sophia Fordyce married Samuel Bentham
Samuel Bentham
Sir Samuel Bentham was a noted English mechanical engineer and naval architect credited with numerous innovations, particularly related to naval architecture, including weapons...
(Jeremy Bentham
Jeremy Bentham
Jeremy Bentham was an English jurist, philosopher, and legal and social reformer. He became a leading theorist in Anglo-American philosophy of law, and a political radical whose ideas influenced the development of welfarism...
's brother).
He died in London in 1802 and was buried at St Anne's, Soho.
Books
- Elements of Agriculture and Vegetation (London, 1781). This was a collection of a course of lectures assembled by one of his listeners. Fordyce corrected the copy, and afterwards published it under this title.
- Elements of the practice of Physic (London, 1768–1770). This was used by him as a textbook for a part of his course of lectures on that subject.
- A Treatise on the Digestion of Food (London, 1791). It was originally read before the College of Physicians, as the Guelstonian Lecture.
- Four Dissertations on Fever (1794–1803). A fifth, which completed the subject, was left by him in manuscript form, and posthumously published. Boston 1823 edition.
Papers
Published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal SocietyPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society
The Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society is a scientific journal published by the Royal Society of London. It was established in 1665, making it the first journal in the world exclusively devoted to science, and it has remained in continuous publication ever since, making it the world's...
:
- Of the Light produced by Inflammation.
- Examination of various Ores in the Museum of Dr W. Hunter.
- A New Method of assaying Copper Ores.
- An Account of some Experiments on the Loss of Weight in Bodies on being melted or heated.
- An Account of an Experiment on Heat.
- The Cronian Lecture on Muscular Motion.
- On the Cause of the additional Weight which Metals acquire on being calcined.
- Account of a New Pendulum, being the Bakerian Lecture.
Published in the Medical and Chirurgical Transactions:
- Observations on the Small-pox, and Causes of Fever.
- An Attempt to improve the Evidence of Medicine.
- Some Observations upon the composition of Medicines.