John Barker (medical writer) facts for kids

John Barker, who lived from 1708 to 1748, was an English doctor and writer. He was known for his medical books and for helping people with their health.

John Barker's Life and Career

John Barker studied medicine in London at St. Thomas's Hospital. He also went to Wadham College, Oxford, a well-known university. He earned several degrees there, including a Bachelor of Arts in 1731 and a Doctor of Medicine in 1743.

After finishing his studies, Dr. Barker worked as a doctor in Salisbury, a city in England. He practiced medicine there for almost ten years. In 1746, he became a member of the College of Physicians, a group for doctors.

Dr. Barker then moved to London. That same year, he became a doctor at the Westminster Hospital. The next year, he left this job to become a doctor for the king's army in a place called the Low Countries. Sadly, he did not live much longer after this new role. He was buried in St. Stephen's Church in Ipswich, where there is a special plaque to remember him.

John Barker's Medical Writings

While he was working in Salisbury, John Barker wrote a book in 1742. It was called 'An Inquiry into the Nature, Cause, and Cure of the Epidemic Fever of that and the two preceding years.' In this book, he shared his ideas about treating a widespread fever. He thought that a treatment called "bleeding" was not helpful.

Because of his ideas, another doctor in Salisbury, Mr. Hele, disagreed with him. Mr. Hele wrote about it in a local newspaper. Dr. Barker then wrote a small book, called a pamphlet, to explain his side. It was titled 'A Defence of a late Treatise &c.,' and came out in 1743.

In 1748, Dr. Barker published another important book. It was called 'An Essay on the Agreement between Ancient and Modern Physicians.' In this book, he compared the medical practices of old doctors like Hippocrates and Galen with newer doctors like Sydenham and Boerhaave.