John Huxham (1692–1768) was an English physician, a provincial doctor notable for his study of

fever Fever, also referred to as pyrexia, is defined as having a temperature above the normal range due to an increase in the body's temperature set point. There is not a single agreed-upon upper limit for normal temperature with sources using val ...

s. In 1750 Huxham published his ''Essay on Fevers'' and in 1755 received the Copley Medal for his contribution to

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pr ...

Biography

Huxham was born close to

Totnes Totnes ( or ) is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England, within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is about west of Paignton, about west-southwest of Torquay and abo ...

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...

, the son of a butcher from nearby

Harberton Harberton is a village, civil parish and former manor 3 miles south west of Totnes, in the South Hams District of Devon, England. The parish includes the village of Harbertonford situated on the main A381 road. In the 2001 census the parish ...

. He was orphaned in early life and became the ward of a non-conformist minister. He attended

Newton Abbot Newton Abbot is a market town and civil parish on the River Teign in the Teignbridge District of Devon, England. Its 2011 population of 24,029 was estimated to reach 26,655 in 2019. It grew rapidly in the Victorian era as the home of the So ...

grammar school using funds from his father's will. Huxham then attended Exeter academy, the university of

Leyden Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration wit ...

and finishing his M.D. at the university of

Rheims Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded by ...

. (Due to his religion he would not have been able to attend Universities in Oxford or Cambridge.) He returned to

and started a medical practice soon after in Plymouth. His progress to fame was slow but he eventually became the city's most respected medical practitioner. In 1723,

James Jurin James Jurin FRS FRCP (baptised 15 December 168429 March 1750) was an English scientist and physician, particularly remembered for his early work in capillary action and in the epidemiology of smallpox vaccination. He was a staunch proponent o ...

, one of the secretaries of the

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

, asked for volunteers to keep daily records of their observations of the weather including readings of the barometric pressure, temperature, rainfall, and direction and strength of the wind. Their observations were to be submitted annually to the secretaries of the society for collation and analysis. In 1724 Huxham began to keep such records and, from 1728 on until 1748, he noted monthly the prevalence of epidemic diseases. These records he published in two volumes. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1739. Huxham was perhaps the first in

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

to classify the disease influenza. He is also associated with diagnosis of

scurvy Scurvy is a disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Early symptoms of deficiency include weakness, feeling tired and sore arms and legs. Without treatment, decreased red blood cells, gum disease, changes to hair, and bleeding ...

and for a recommended cure of drinking cider. He is also remembered for Tinct. cort. Peruv. Huxham, a tincture of '' Cinchona'' bark used for ulcerous sore throat (possibly

diphtheria Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Corynebacterium diphtheriae''. Most infections are asymptomatic or have a mild clinical course, but in some outbreaks more than 10% of those diagnosed with the disease may die. Signs and s ...

).Rowley, William. (1788). An Essay on the malignant, ulcerated sore throats; containing reflections on its causes and fatal effects in 1787. With a remarkable case ... To which are added, animadversions on the present defects in treating the disorder, etc. London. 1788

Accessed 2017-09-07 He married Ellen Corham, and after her death Elizabeth Harris, who also died before him. He left two daughters and one son, John Corham Huxham, who graduated at Exeter College, Oxford, became F.R.S., and edited several of his father's works. He died on 11 August 1768.

Works

* ''Medicinisch und chymische Bemerkungen vom Spießglase'' . J.A. Lübeck, Leipzig; Bayreuth 175
Digital edition
by the University and State Library Düsseldorf

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Huxham, John 1692 births 1768 deaths People from Totnes Reims University (1548–1793) alumni English surgeons Fellows of the Royal Society Recipients of the Copley Medal 17th-century English people 18th-century English people Place of death missing Date of birth unknown 18th-century English medical doctors