John Clark (physician) facts for kids
John Clark (1744–1805) was a Scottish doctor. He was also known for helping people in need in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
A Doctor's Life
Born in Roxburgh, Scotland, John Clark first studied to become a minister at the University of Edinburgh. But he soon changed his mind. He decided to study medicine instead.
In 1768, he became a surgeon's helper. This was with the East India Company. This company was involved in trade in places like India. Around 1775, he left this job. He then became a doctor in Newcastle. He had earned his medical degree from the University of St Andrews.
Dr. Clark cared a lot about helping poor people get medical care. He started the Newcastle Dispensary. This was like a clinic for those who couldn't afford a doctor. He also suggested ways to make the Newcastle Infirmary (a hospital) better. He believed it was important to have special hospitals for people with contagious diseases. This would stop illnesses from spreading to others.
Towards the end of his life, another doctor named Thomas Trotter disagreed with some of his medical choices. Dr. Clark passed away in Bath, Somerset, England, on April 15, 1805. A book about his life was written by Dr. John Ralph Fenwick in 1806.
Dr. Clark's Writings
Dr. Clark wrote several important books and papers about medicine. In 1777, he said the Newcastle Dispensary was started to "cure Fevers."
Here are some of his main writings:
- Observations on fevers, especially those of the continued type; and on the scarlet fever attended with ulcerated sore-throat in 1778 (published in London, 1780). This book was about different kinds of fevers.
- Letter to Dr Leslie, F.R.S. on the Influenza; as it Appeared at Newcastle upon Tyne (1783). This letter was sent to Patrick Duguid Leslie. It talked about the flu outbreak in Newcastle.
- Observations on the Diseases in Long Voyages to Hot Countries, particularly the East Indies (2 volumes, London, 1792). This work discussed illnesses people got on long sea trips to hot places like India.
He also wrote an Account of a Plan for Newcastle Infirmary. He wrote papers about places for people with infectious diseases in busy towns.
His Family Life
Dr. Clark's first wife, Mary, died in 1781. In 1783, he married again. His second wife was Susannah Heath from Newcastle. They had nine children together. One of their sons was William Clark (1788–1869). He became a Professor of Anatomy at Cambridge University. The family belonged to a religious group called Unitarians.
