Nathaniel Hodges M.D. (1629–1688) was an English physician, known for his work during the

Great Plague of London The Great Plague of London, lasting from 1665 to 1666, was the most recent major epidemic of the bubonic plague to occur in England. It happened within the centuries-long Second plague pandemic, Second Pandemic, a period of intermittent buboni ...

and his written account ''

Loimologia ''Loimologia, or, an historical Account of the Plague in London in 1665, With precautionary Directions against the like Contagion'' is a treatise by Dr. Nathaniel Hodges (1629–1688), originally published in London in Latin (''Loimologia, sive ...

'' of it.

Early life

The son of Dr. Thomas Hodges, vicar of

Kensington Kensington is an area of London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, around west of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up by Kensingt ...

, he was born there on 14 September 1629. A king's scholar of

Westminster School Westminster School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It descends from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the Norman Conquest, as do ...

, he obtained a scholarship at

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

, in 1646. In 1648 he migrated to Oxford, and was appointed by the parliamentary visitors a student of Christ Church where he graduated B.A. 1651, M.A. 1654, and M.D. 1659. While there he took part in the activities of the Oxford Experimental Philosophy Club. Hodges took a house in

Walbrook Walbrook is a Ward of the City of London and a minor street in its vicinity. The ward is named after a River Walbrook, river of the same name. The ward of Walbrook contains two of the City's most notable landmarks: the Bank of England and the ...

, London, and began practice there. He was admitted a candidate or member of the

College of Physicians A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further education institution, or a secondary school ...

30 September 1659.

The plague time

When the

bubonic plague Bubonic plague is one of three types of Plague (disease), plague caused by the Bacteria, bacterium ''Yersinia pestis''. One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, headaches, and ...

raged in London in 1665, Hodges remained in residence, and attended all who sought his advice. During the Christmas holidays of 1664–5 he saw a few doubtful cases, and in May and June several certain cases; in August and September as many as he could see by working hard all day. He rose early, and took a dose of anti-pestilential electuary as large as a nutmeg. After transacting his household affairs he entered his consulting room. Crowds of patients were always waiting, and for three hours he examined them and prescribed, finding some who were already ill, and others only affected by fear. When he had seen all he breakfasted, and visited patients at their houses. On entering a house he had a disinfectant burnt on hot coals, and if hot or out of breath rested till at his ease, then put a lozenge in his mouth and proceeded to examine the patient. After spending some hours in this way, he returned home and drank a glass of

sack A sack usually refers to a rectangular-shaped bag. Sack may also refer to: Bags * Flour sack * Gunny sack * Hacky sack, sport * Money sack * Paper sack * Sleeping bag * Stuff sack * Knapsack Other uses * Bed, a slang term * Sack (band), ...

, dining soon after, usually off roast meat with pickles or other relish. He drank more wine at dinner. Afterwards he saw patients at his own house, and paid more visits, returning home between eight and nine o'clock. He spent the evening at home, never smoking, but drinking old sack till he felt thoroughly cheerful. After this he generally slept well. Twice during the epidemic he felt as if the plague had infected him, but after increased draughts of sack he felt well in a few hours, and he escaped without serious illness. In recognition of his services to the citizens during the plague, the authorities of the city granted him a stipend as their authorised physician.

Later life

The College of Physicians recognised the merit of his book, and elected him a fellow 2 April 1672. In 1682 he was censor, and in 1683 delivered the Harveian oration (not printed). When censor he gave the college a fire-engine. His practice did not continue to increase, he became poor, was imprisoned in Ludgate Prison for debt, and there died 10 June 1688. He was buried in St Stephen's, Walbrook, and a bust and inscription were to be seen there.

Works

He was a contributor to the Oxford volume of verse issued in 1654 to celebrate the peace with the Dutch. In 1666, he published an attack on quacks, ‘Vindiciæ Medicinæ et Medicorum, an Apology for the Profession and Professors of Physic.’ The 1656 translation of the ''Aurea Themis'' of

Michael Maier Michael Maier (; 1568–1622) was a German physician and counsellor to Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf II Habsburg. He was a learned Alchemy, alchemist, epigramist, and amateur composer. Early life Maier was born in Rendsburg, Duchy of ...

was by Nathaniel Hodges and Thomas Hodges (his father or his brother). In 1671, he completed an account of the plague, which was published in 1672 as ''Loimologia, sive Pestis nuperæ apud Populum Londinensem grassantis Narratio Historica''. Hodges was an observer both of symptoms and the results of treatment.

Bezoar A bezoar stone ( ) is a mass often found trapped in the gastrointestinal system, though it can occur in other locations. A pseudobezoar is an indigestible object introduced intentionally into the digestive system. There are several varieties o ...

, unicorn's horn, and dried toads he tried and found useless, but he recognised the merit of serpentary as a

diaphoretic Perspiration, also known as sweat, is the fluid secreted by sweat glands in the skin of mammals. Two types of sweat glands can be found in humans: eccrine glands and Apocrine sweat gland, apocrine glands. The eccrine sweat glands are distribu ...

, and of hartshorn as a cardiac stimulant. He described

pericarditis Pericarditis () is inflammation of the pericardium, the fibrous sac surrounding the heart. Symptoms typically include sudden onset of sharp chest pain, which may also be felt in the shoulders, neck, or back. The pain is typically less severe whe ...

in a case of plague. A translation of ''Loimologia'' by Dr. John Quincy was published in 1720.

References

;Attribution

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hodges, Nathaniel 1629 births 1688 deaths 17th-century English medical doctors Medical doctors from London Writers from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea People from Kensington Fellows of Christ Church, Oxford White's Professors of Moral Philosophy 17th-century English translators English medical writers