George Pinckard facts for kids
George Pinckard (1768–1835) was an English doctor. He was known for his writings, for being against slavery (an abolitionist), and for his work in insurance.
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Life of George Pinckard
George Pinckard was born in 1768. His father was Henry Pinckard from Handley Hall, Northamptonshire. George was taught by a family member who was a priest.
His Medical Training
He studied medicine at several famous places. First, he went to St. Thomas's and Guy's hospitals in London. Then, he studied in Edinburgh. Finally, he went to Leyden, a city in the Netherlands. He earned his medical degree there on June 20, 1792.
Early Travels and Work
After his studies, he stayed for a short time near Geneva, Switzerland. He saw the city being captured by French forces. In 1794, he became a licensed doctor with the College of Physicians of London.
In 1795, George Pinckard became a doctor for the army. He joined an important trip to the West Indies with Sir Ralph Abercromby. He worked with the medical team in Santo Domingo. He arrived in Barbados in February 1796.
Service in Ireland and Den Helder
Pinckard was in Ireland during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. He served with General Samuel Hulse. For his good work, he was promoted. He helped lead the medical service in the Duke of York's trip to Den Helder in the Netherlands.
Life in London
When he returned, he lived in London. He first lived on Great Russell Street, then moved to Bloomsbury Square. He stayed there until he died. He also started the Bloomsbury Dispensary. This was a place where poor people could get medical help. He was a doctor there for 30 years.
Work in Insurance
In 1823, Dr. Pinckard had a new idea. He thought about how to offer life insurance to more people. This idea led to the start of a company called Clerical Medical in 1824. He was a leader and director of this company from its beginning until he died.
His Death
George Pinckard had a heart condition called angina pectoris. He died on May 15, 1835. He passed away while writing a prescription for a patient in his office.
George Pinckard's Writings
George Pinckard wrote several important books and papers.
Notes on the West Indies
His most famous work is Notes on the West Indies. It was published in three volumes in 1806. A second edition came out in 1816. In this book, he wrote about his experiences in the West Indies and Guiana. He especially wrote about slavery there. Parts of his book were used by people who wanted to end slavery (abolitionists) in 1807.
Medical Cases and Other Ideas
In 1808, he published Dr. Pinckard's Case of Hydrophobia. This was about a case of hydrophobia (rabies). He later wrote about other cases of hydrophobia in a medical journal. He collected these and other cases into a pamphlet in 1819.
In April 1835, he published Suggestions for restoring the Moral Character and the Industrious Habits of the Poor. In this paper, he suggested ways to help poor people. He thought that farms could be set up where poor people could work. This would help them learn skills and reduce poverty.
