Clopton Havers facts for kids

Havers' thesis, a book he wrote for his medical degree.

Clopton Havers (born February 24, 1657 – died April 1702) was an English doctor. He was a pioneer in studying the tiny parts of bones. He is famous for being the first person to describe what we now call Haversian canals. These are small channels inside bones. He also described Sharpey's fibres, which help connect muscles to bones.

Early Life and Education

Clopton Havers was born in Stambourne, a village in Essex, England. His father, Henry Havers, was the local church leader.

Havers began his medical studies with a doctor named Richard Morton. Later, in 1668, he went to St Catharine's College, Cambridge, a famous university. However, he did not finish his degree there.

For some years after that, we don't know much about what Havers did. In 1684, he was allowed to practice medicine in certain parts of England. The next year, in 1685, he traveled to the Netherlands to study at Utrecht University. There, he earned his "Doctor of Medicine" degree. He wrote a special paper, called a thesis, for his degree. It was titled De Respiratione, which means On Respiration (how we breathe).

Discoveries in Medicine

After finishing his studies, Havers practiced medicine in London. He was especially interested in osteology, which is the study of bones.

In 1686, he became a member of the Royal Society. This is a very old and respected group for scientists. His most important book was called Osteologia nova, or some new Observations of the Bones. This book was the first to describe the tiny, microscopic structure of bones.

• Haversian Canals: In his book, he described tiny channels inside bones. These channels are now named after him: Haversian canals. They carry blood vessels and nerves through the bone.
• Sharpey's Fibres: He also described Sharpey's fibres. These are strong fibers that help attach muscles and tendons to bones.

Other scientists, like the Italian scientist Giorgio Baglivi, greatly admired Havers' work. His book was printed many times in different cities.

In 1694, Havers gave an important lecture about anatomy. This lecture later became part of the famous Arris and Gale Lecture series.

In 1700, Havers told the Royal Society about a practice from China. It was a way to protect people from smallpox, a serious disease. This method involved breathing in dried material from a smallpox blister. This was an early form of inoculation.

Later Life

Clopton Havers married Dorcas Fuller. Her father, Thomas Fuller, was a church leader in Willingale, Essex.

Havers passed away in Willingale in 1702 when he was 45 years old. He was buried there. A special speech, called a funeral sermon, was given for him. It was dedicated to his wife and later printed as a book.

See also

In Spanish: Clopton Havers para niños