Daniel Peter Layard facts for kids

Daniel Peter Layard (1721–1802) was an English physician and midwife. He was known for his medical work and for helping to prevent animal diseases.

His Early Life and Family

Daniel Peter Layard was born in Westminster, London, on March 28, 1720. His family, the Layards, were Huguenots. This means they were French Protestants who had to leave France because of religious persecution. His father, Pierre Raymond de Layard, came to England and became a soldier in the British army. Daniel's parents married in London and had several children, but sadly, many of them died young.

Becoming a Doctor

Daniel Peter Layard studied medicine and became a Doctor of Medicine from Reims University in France in 1742. The next year, he married Suzanna Henrietta Boisragon.

In 1747, he started working as a physician who specialized in childbirth (called an accoucheur back then) at Middlesex Hospital. However, he soon had to stop working there because he wasn't feeling well, so he traveled abroad to recover.

His Medical Career

Around 1750, Layard settled in a town called Huntingdon and worked there as a doctor for twelve years. In 1752, he became a Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians. This meant he was officially allowed to practice medicine in London.

Around 1762, he moved back to London. There, he became a very busy and well-known accoucheur, helping many women with childbirth.

Layard was even the personal physician to Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, who was the mother of King George III. He was also chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a very old and respected group of scientists. He also helped start the British Lying-in Hospital, which was a hospital for women giving birth. He later became a Vice President there.

In 1792, the University of Oxford gave him an honorary degree, which is a special award for his achievements.

Later Life and Legacy

Daniel Peter Layard passed away in Greenwich in February 1802. He left behind a will where he asked to be buried in a special crypt. He also mentioned that he wanted his unpublished writings to be shared, especially those about how he helped prevent and cure diseases in farm animals (like cows) across Great Britain and other countries. He felt he deserved a large reward for this important work.

His son, Charles, became a very important church leader, known as the Dean of Bristol. Daniel Peter Layard's great-grandson was Austen Henry Layard, who became a famous archaeologist and diplomat.

His Writings

Layard wrote several important papers for the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, which is a scientific journal. He also published books, including:

• An Essay on the Nature, Causes, and Cure of the Contagious Distemper among the Horned Cattle in these Kingdoms (1757) – This book was about diseases in cows.
• An Essay on the Bite of a Mad Dog (1762) – This discussed what to do if someone was bitten by a rabid dog.
• An Account of the Somersham Water in the County of Huntingdon (1767) – This was about a special type of water found in Huntingdon.
• Pharmacopœia in usum Gravidarum Puerperarum (1776) – This was a medical guide for pregnant women and those who had just given birth.

Family Connections

Daniel Peter Layard had a son named Charles Peter Layard (born 1748), who became the Dean of Bristol. He was also the great-grandfather of Austen Henry Layard, a famous archaeologist. His family continued to have notable members, including his great-great-granddaughter Nina Frances Layard and great-great-great-grandson John Willoughby Layard.