Edward Seymour (physician) facts for kids
Edward James Seymour (born March 30, 1796 – died April 16, 1866) was an English doctor and a medical writer who wrote many books about health.
Contents
Edward Seymour's Life Story
Edward was born in London. His father, William Seymour, was a lawyer. Edward went to school at Richmond School in Surrey and then studied at Jesus College, Cambridge University. He earned his first degree in 1816 and later became a doctor in 1826. He also studied medicine in big cities like London, Edinburgh, and Paris.
After finishing his studies, Edward became a member of the Royal College of Physicians. This was a very important group for doctors. He held several important roles there, like giving special lectures.
At that time, doctors couldn't practice in London until they were 26. So, Edward spent his first few years working in Italy, especially in Florence, where he earned a good living. In 1823, he came back to England and quickly became a successful doctor in London.
He became a doctor at St George's Hospital in 1828 and worked there until 1847, eventually becoming the most senior doctor. He also helped patients at the Dreadnought Hospital ship, which cared for sailors. He was even the personal doctor to the Duke of Sussex.
From 1831 to 1839, Edward was a special commissioner in lunacy. This meant he helped oversee places that cared for people with mental health issues. He was one of the first doctors to try new ways to help people with mental health challenges. In 1841, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a big honor for scientists.
Edward Seymour passed away on April 16, 1866, at his home in London.
Edward Seymour's Medical Books
Edward Seymour wrote several important books about medicine. Here are some of his main works:
- Diseases of the Ovaria (1830) – This book was about diseases related to the ovaries.
- Observations on the Medical Treatment of Insanity (1832) – This book shared his ideas on how to treat mental health conditions.
- Nature and Treatment of Dropsy (1837) – This work focused on a condition called dropsy, which causes swelling.
- Thoughts on the Treatment of several severe Diseases of the Human Body (1847) – This book discussed how to treat various serious illnesses.
In 1859, Edward Seymour wrote an open letter to the Earl of Shaftesbury. In this letter, he talked about the rules for private mental health hospitals and compared how mental health laws worked in England and France. He also shared his thoughts on what causes mental health conditions and how they had been treated over the past 25 years.
Cricket Career
Besides being a doctor, Edward Seymour also played first-class cricket! He played one match for Cambridge University in 1819. In that game, he didn't score any runs but he did catch one ball.
Edward Seymour's Family
On September 4, 1817, Edward Seymour married Maria Searancke. They had a large family with six sons and four daughters. Their oldest son, Charles Frederick Seymour, became a Lieutenant-colonel in the army and played an important role during the siege of Lucknow.
