Lancelot Browne facts for kids
Lancelot Browne (born around 1545, died in 1605) was an English doctor who served royalty. He was known for his medical knowledge and his work on important projects of his time.
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Early Life and Education
Lancelot Browne was born in York, England. He started studying at St. John's College, Cambridge, in May 1559. There, he was a student at the same time as William Gilbert, who later became a famous scientist. Browne earned his first degree (B.A.) in 1563 and his master's degree (M.A.) in 1566.
In 1567, he became a fellow at Pembroke Hall. By 1570, he was allowed by the university to practice medicine. He also played a part in university matters, becoming a proctor in 1573.
Career as a Royal Physician
Lancelot Browne earned his M.D. degree in 1576. After this, he moved to London and became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 1584. He held several important positions within the college, including censor and a member of the council. He passed away in 1605.
Browne was a trusted doctor to three important figures:
- Queen Elizabeth I
- King James I
- Queen Anne, King James's wife
In the 1570s, the Queen's advisors asked Browne and another royal doctor, Roger Marbeck, for advice on illnesses affecting the English navy. Just before the Spanish Armada attacked in 1588, Browne and other doctors were ready to help the navy with medicines.
Medical and Scientific Contributions
In 1589, the College of Physicians asked Lancelot Browne to help create a pharmacopoeia. This was a book listing medicines and how to prepare them. He worked on this project again in 1594, but the book was not finished until after his death.
Browne also had a special skill: he knew some Arabic. In 1600, when ambassadors from the Sultan of Morocco visited, Browne was the only person who could understand them.
Published Works and Collaborations
Lancelot Browne wrote a letter in Latin that was included in John Gerard's famous book, Great Herbal, first published in 1597.
He also created a dictionary for the writings of Avicenna, a famous ancient Persian doctor. This dictionary was never published, but it was used much later by Edmund Castell for his own important dictionary.
Browne worked with Thomas Blundeville on an astronomy book called The Theoriques of the Seuen Planets (1602). This book included new research on magnetism by William Gilbert and work by mathematicians Henry Briggs and Edward Wright.
Family Life
Lancelot Browne had a daughter named Elizabeth, who married the famous doctor William Harvey. Harvey is known for discovering how blood circulates in the body. Browne also had a son, Galen Browne, who also became a physician.
