John Lewis Petit facts for kids
John Lewis Petit (born 1736, died 1780) was an English doctor. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, which means he was part of a very important group of scientists.
A Doctor's Life
John Lewis Petit was born in a place called Shenstone, Staffordshire. His father was also named John Petit and lived in Little Aston.
When he was about 16 years old, in 1752, John Lewis Petit started studying at Queens' College, Cambridge, a famous university. He worked hard and earned several degrees: a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in 1756, a Master of Arts (M.A.) in 1759, and finally, his medical degree (M.D.) in 1766. This meant he was officially a doctor!
In 1759, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very old and respected group in the UK for people who have made important discoveries in science.
Working as a Physician
In 1767, John Lewis Petit was chosen to be a fellow of the College of Physicians. This is a professional body for doctors in the UK. He also gave special lectures there, called Gulstonian lectures, in 1768. He served as a "censor" (a type of official) for the college in 1768, 1774, and 1777.
In 1774, he became a doctor at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, a very old hospital in London. He worked there until he passed away on May 27, 1780.
His Family
John Lewis Petit married Katherine Laetitia Serces in 1769. They had children together, including two sons named John Hayes Petit and Louis Hayes Petit.
