John Dawson (surgeon) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Dawson
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John Dawson (1734–1820). Portrait by William Whiston Barney.
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| Born | 1734 |
| Died | 19 September 1820 (aged 85–86) |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
| Known for | Calculating distance to the sun |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physician and mathematician |
| Academic advisors | Edward Waring |
| Notable students | Adam Sedgwick James Inman George Butler Richard Sedgwick George Birkbeck John Haygarth Nicholas Conyngham Tindal Miles Bland Robert Willan Thomas Garnett Thomas Wilson John Bell |
| Influences | Henry Bracken |
John Dawson (1734 – 19 September 1820) was an English mathematician and physician. He was born in Raygill, a place in Garsdale, England. "Dawson's Rock" in Garsdale is named after him. It marks where he first thought about math problems.
He learned surgery from Henry Bracken in Lancaster. Then, he worked as a surgeon in Sedbergh for a year. He walked 150 miles to Edinburgh to study medicine. He had saved money and sewn it into his coat for safety.
Even though he lived very carefully, he could not finish his degree. He went back to Garsdale and worked as a surgeon. He also taught math privately at Sedbergh School. With enough money, he finally earned his medical degree (MD) in London in 1765.
Dawson wrote a book in 1781. It was called The Doctrine of Philosophical Necessity Briefly Invalidated. In this book, he argued against Joseph Priestley's ideas. But his best skills were in mathematics.
He taught many students who went to the University of Cambridge. Twelve of his students became "Senior Wranglers." This was the top math student at Cambridge. Dawson was very good at finding mistakes in other people's math work. He studied how the moon moves. He also looked at how objects move around a central force. He fixed big errors in how the distance between Earth and the sun was calculated. He also confirmed a mistake in Isaac Newton's math about how Earth wobbles.
John Dawson was a great teacher. He helped many important people in the 1800s. These included Adam Sedgwick, James Inman, and George Butler.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
John Dawson had a basic education. He went to school in Garsdale. After school, he worked as a shepherd for his father. He was about 20 years old then. In his free time, he became very interested in mathematics.
He bought math books with money he earned from knitting socks. He also borrowed books from his older brother. His brother was an excise officer. John Dawson taught himself math completely. He even created his own way of understanding conic sections. Soon, he started teaching math to others. He often stayed at his students' homes for months at a time.
Becoming a Tutor and Doctor
John Dawson's reputation as a teacher grew quickly. In 1756, three young men studied with him. One was John Haygarth, who later became a doctor. Another was Richard Sedgwick, Adam Sedgwick's father. They all studied with Dawson before going to Cambridge.
Dawson decided to become a surgeon. He was inspired by Henry Bracken, a famous surgeon in Lancaster. Dawson worked as Bracken's assistant and student. After that, he practiced as a surgeon in Sedbergh for a year. He saved £100, which he sewed into his clothes. Then, he walked to Edinburgh to study medicine and math.
He was very careful with his money. But he could not stay long enough to get a degree. So, he returned to Sedbergh to work as a surgeon again. He saved more money for another study trip. This time, he went to London. His time in London was short. But he gained experience in hospitals there. He also attended lectures on surgery and medicine.
In London, he met Edward Waring. Waring was a math professor at Cambridge. This meeting was important for Dawson's future math work. Dawson returned to Sedbergh with a medical diploma. He built the best medical practice in the area. He soon became successful and secure.
Family Life
On March 3, 1767, John Dawson married Ann Thirnbeck. She was from Middleton, near Sedbergh. They had one daughter named Mary. She was born on January 15, 1768. Mary became a very important companion to Dawson in his later years. This was especially true after his wife died in 1812.
Teaching Mathematics
For over 20 years, Dawson worked as a doctor. At the same time, he continued his math work. Around 1790, he started teaching math full-time. By then, he was famous as a teacher. Many students came to him. This included Cambridge university students. They studied with him during their long summer breaks. Others prepared for university entry.
Students paid about 5 shillings a week for unlimited lessons. They also paid for their food and a place to stay. Sometimes they stayed in Dawson's house. More often, they stayed at a local inn. Dawson taught in a special way. Adam Sedgwick studied with him in 1804. He remembered that Dawson would seat his students at tables around the house. There were often a dozen or more students. Dawson would constantly move from one student to another. He would correct their work and give advice.
Dawson's teaching method worked very well. Between 1781 and 1794, at least seven of the 14 "senior wranglers" at Cambridge had been taught by him. Four more of his students became senior wranglers between 1797 and 1807. Some of his famous students included:
- John Bell, a future lawyer.
- James Inman, who became a math professor.
- George Butler, who became headmaster of Harrow School.
Other students who did not become senior wranglers were Richard Sedgwick and Adam Sedgwick. Also, Nicholas Conyngham Tindal, who became a chief justice. The mathematician Miles Bland also studied with him. Many future bishops were also his students. Some students interested in medicine went to Edinburgh. These included Robert Willan and George Birkbeck.
Dawson continued to work actively in math even into his 70s. But after 1812, his memory and strength began to fail. He stopped taking new students. Someone from Cambridge suggested he get an honorary degree. This was because he was seen as England's top mathematician. However, he did not publish many original math works. The only official honor he received was becoming a member of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society.
His first important math publication was Four Propositions. It came out in 1769 without his name on it. In this book, Dawson found errors in calculations. These errors had caused Matthew Stewart, a math professor, to guess the distance to the sun incorrectly. Stewart had overestimated it by more than a quarter. Dawson strongly argued his point when he was criticized. His reply showed he was respected by many scientists.
Ideas and Beliefs
Dawson was also interested in ideas about life and religion. He discussed these topics with a favorite student, Thomas Wilson. Wilson was a headmaster of grammar schools. Adam Sedgwick described Dawson as a "firm believer" and a "good Christian." Dawson did not like the ideas of David Hume. He liked James Beattie's arguments against Hume's doubts.
In a similar way, he wrote against Joseph Priestley's book, The Doctrine of Philosophical Necessity. Dawson thought Priestley's ideas were wrong and harmful. His 24-page pamphlet, The Doctrine of Philosophical Necessity Briefly Invalidated (1781), explained his views. He believed that accepting determinism had bad results. Even though his work did not make a big impact, Dawson kept the respect of his opponents.
People who knew Dawson were impressed by his strong appearance. There are portraits of him. One was painted by Joseph Allen in 1809. It showed Dawson teaching a student. This original painting was lost, but copies exist. Another portrait was a watercolor by William Westall in 1817. It showed a serious, very old Dawson. Even with his striking look, Dawson was admired most for his simple manner. He had a cheerful and kind personality. Adam Sedgwick said he had "no stiffness or affectation of superiority."
His Final Years
John Dawson passed away on September 19, 1820. A monument was put up in St Andrew's Church, Sedbergh. It is a bust of him made by Robert William Sievier. His former student, John Bell, wrote the words on the monument in August 1825.
