Christopher Robert Pemberton facts for kids
Christopher Robert Pemberton (1765 – 31 July 1822) was an important English doctor. He gave special lectures on medicine, like the Gulstonian Lecture in 1797 and the Harveian Oration in 1806.
Becoming a Doctor
Christopher Robert Pemberton went to school at Bury St Edmunds School. Then, in 1784, he started studying at Caius College, Cambridge. He worked hard and earned his first medical degree in 1789. By 1794, he had earned his M.D., which is a higher medical degree.
In 1796, he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. This meant he was a recognized expert doctor. The next year, in 1797, he was also chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a very old and respected group for scientists.
His Medical Work
In 1800, Dr. Pemberton became a doctor at St George's Hospital. He worked there until 1808. He also became a doctor for important people, including the Prince of Wales and King George III. People said he was very polite and kind.
His Famous Book
In 1806, Dr. Pemberton published a book called A Practical Treatise on Various Diseases of the Abdominal Viscera. This book was about different illnesses that affect the organs in your belly, like the stomach, liver, and intestines. Many copies of his book were printed, and it was even translated into German. Famous people, including Charles Darwin, studied his book.
In his book, Dr. Pemberton shared some new ideas:
- He noticed that a stomach problem called water brash (which is like GERD) could happen if someone only ate potatoes. We now know that a balanced diet is very important for health.
- He also observed that some serious illnesses could be present for a long time without showing many clear signs.
- He was one of the first English doctors to write about how doing the same movements over and over could cause problems with muscles, like in the hand. For example, he wrote about how a lot of sewing could lead to a condition similar to carpal tunnel syndrome. He even suggested using a special support for the hand if the muscles were weak.
Dr. Pemberton was a very good observer of his patients. However, medicine was still developing in the early 1800s. Some practices, like bloodletting (removing blood from a patient), were common back then, even if they are not used today.
His Health Challenges
Dr. Pemberton himself suffered from a very painful nerve condition called tic douloureux. A famous surgeon tried to help him with an operation, but it didn't make him feel better. Because of this ongoing pain, Dr. Pemberton had to stop practicing medicine. He left London and moved to Kent.
His Family Life
Dr. Christopher Robert Pemberton was the fifth son of Reverend Jeremiah Pemberton. His grandfather was Sir Francis Pemberton. In 1794, Christopher Robert Pemberton married Eleanor Hamilton. They had a daughter named Mary Hamilton Pemberton. She later married Reverend Sir John Lees Lighton.
