John Caverhill facts for kids

John Caverhill (died September 1, 1781) was a Scottish physician and writer. A physician is a type of doctor. He was known for his ideas about how the human body works and for his experiments.

Becoming a Doctor and Scientist

John Caverhill became a licensed doctor in 1767. This meant he was officially allowed to practice medicine. He also became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1760. Being a Fellow of the Royal Society is a big honor for scientists. It means you are recognized for important scientific work. He earned his M.D. degree from Marischal College, which is now part of the University of Aberdeen.

Ideas About the Body and Heat

In 1769, Caverhill wrote a book called Treatise on the Cause and Cure of Gout. Gout is a painful type of arthritis. In this book, he shared a unique idea. He believed that nerves contained an "earthy" substance. He thought this substance traveled through the nerves to form bones. He also suggested that the rubbing of this "earthy" substance created body heat in living creatures.

Experiments on Animals

A year later, in 1770, Caverhill published another book. It was called Experiments on the Cause of Heat in Living Animals. In this book, he tried to prove his theory about body heat. He did many experiments on rabbits. He would damage different nerves or parts of their spinal cords. Then he would wait to see what happened to the animals.

Criticism of His Work

Caverhill's experiments on animals were seen as very harsh. People at the time, especially in a publication called the Monthly Review, said his experiments were cruel and wrong. They believed it was not right to cause such suffering to animals.

Later Life

John Caverhill died in Melrose, Roxburghshire on September 1, 1781.

Selected Publications

• Treatise on the Cause and Cure of Gout (1769)
• Experiments on the Cause of Heat in Living Animals (1770)
• A Dissertation on Nervous Ganglions and Nervous Plexus (1772)
• Explanation of the Seventy Weeks of Daniel (1777)