Christopher Terne facts for kids

Christopher Terne (1620–1673) was an English doctor, also known as a physician. He was an important medical expert during his time.

Life of a Doctor

Christopher Terne was born in Cambridgeshire, England. He went to the University of Leyden in 1647 to study medicine and became a doctor there. Later, he was recognized as a doctor at Cambridge and Oxford universities in England.

In 1655, he became a member of the College of Physicians, a very important group for doctors in London. He also worked as an assistant doctor at St Bartholomew's Hospital, a famous hospital, from 1653 to 1669.

Terne was also a teacher. In 1656, he started giving lectures on anatomy (the study of the body's structure) to the Barber-Surgeons' Company. Even the famous diarist Samuel Pepys went to hear him speak in 1663! Terne greatly admired another famous doctor, William Harvey, who discovered how blood circulates in the body. Terne often spoke about Harvey in his lectures.

Christopher Terne was also one of the first members of the Royal Society, a group of important scientists and thinkers. This shows he was a respected figure in the world of science and medicine.

He passed away in London in 1673.

His Writings

While Christopher Terne was a busy doctor and teacher, he didn't have many of his writings printed. He wrote some Latin poems about another doctor, Christopher Bennet. He also gave a special speech called the Harveian Oration, which honored William Harvey. This speech, along with some of his lectures on anatomy, were kept as handwritten notes. These notes showed how he taught about the human body, often while a real dissection was happening. He also wrote an essay asking, "Does breathing help with nutrition?"

His Family

Christopher Terne married a woman named Susan Borne. Their daughter, Henrietta, also married a doctor, Dr. Edward Browne.