Nathaniel St André facts for kids
Nathaniel St André was a doctor from Switzerland. He was born around 1680 and lived until March 1776. He worked as a physician in England.
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Life of Nathaniel St André
Nathaniel St André was born in Switzerland. When he was young, he moved to England. He started working as a page for a family. To earn money, he taught French, German, dancing, and fencing.
One day, he got hurt while fencing. He needed a doctor. He was very impressed by how successful the surgeon was. This made him decide to become a doctor too. He started learning medicine by working with a surgeon in London.
Becoming a Surgeon
After his training, St André opened his own medical practice. He also became a surgeon at the Westminster Infirmary. He taught public classes about anatomy (the study of the body) and surgery. He also translated a book about surgery from French into English. He even found new ways to use wax to make models of body parts for study.
In May 1723, King George I chose St André to be a surgeon and anatomist for the royal family. St André spoke German very well, which the King's friends liked. He wrote a detailed report about a supposed poisoning case. This report also showed his important role at court.
Working for the King
In 1726, St André successfully treated the famous writer Alexander Pope. They became good friends for life. In the same year, St André treated the King himself for the first time. The treatment worked well, and the King was so thankful that he gave St André his own sword.
The Rabbit Hoax
In November 1726, St André traveled to Godalming to see a woman named Mary Toft. She claimed she had given birth to fourteen rabbits! St André believed her. He even said he helped her deliver a fifteenth rabbit. He then put on a show in London to try and prove that this was possible. He also brought Mary Toft to the city so people could see her.
In December, St André published a book called A Short Narrative of an Extraordinary Delivery of Rabbets. But just a few days later, Mary Toft admitted that her story was a trick. People thought St André might have been part of the trick. However, both Mary Toft and other investigators said that St André had been fooled. After this, the King refused to see St André. He lost his royal duties and salary, but he still kept the title of court anatomist.
Later Life
In 1728, St André treated Samuel Molyneux, who was a member of Parliament. Molyneux became ill and sadly passed away. St André later married Molyneux's wife, Elizabeth, in 1730.
After these events, St André found it hard to get regular work. He and Elizabeth moved to the countryside. Later, in the 1750s, they moved to Southampton. They spent their time helping others and enjoying hobbies like botany (the study of plants), gardening, and architecture.
When Elizabeth died, St André lost her large inherited income. He also lost money in investments and most of his belongings in a fire. He spent his last years living in an almshouse (a place for poor people). He died in 1776, at the age of 96. It is said that he refused to eat rabbit for the last fifty years of his life!
Publications
- A short narrative of an extraordinary delivery of rabbets perform’d by Mr. John Howard, Surgeon at Guilford. (2nd edition, London 1726). You can read a digital copy online: Digital copy
- Rene Jacques Croissant de Garengeot: A treatise of chirurgical operations. According to the mechanism of the parts of the humane body. (1723). This book was originally in French and was translated by Nathaniel St. André.
