Peter Chamberlen the third facts for kids
Peter Chamberlen (1601–1683) was an English doctor. He was sometimes called Peter the Third. His family is famous for inventing the obstetrical forceps, a special tool used to help deliver babies. Peter likely had this secret tool by 1630. He also worked to bring the job of midwifery (helping women give birth) under his family's control. His ideas mixed religious beliefs with his own plans for a better society.
Contents
Early Life and Medical Work
Peter was the oldest son of Peter Chamberlen the younger. He followed his family's path into medicine and midwifery. He went to Merchant Taylors' School and then Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He earned his medical degree in 1619 from the University of Padua in Italy. This allowed him to get degrees from Oxford and Cambridge too. He even attended the birth of the future King Charles II.
Chamberlen was a well-known doctor and cared about public health. In 1643, he tried to create a group for midwives, like his father had wanted. But other doctors, especially the College of Physicians of London, were against his idea.
During the Commonwealth Period
After the First English Civil War, when Parliament won, Chamberlen asked Parliament for control over public baths in 1648. He succeeded, even though the College of Physicians didn't like the idea of public bathing.
In his religious life, Chamberlen became an Independent, joining a church in 1649. He later became a Baptist, which is another type of Christian group. In 1650, he debated about "lay preaching," which means people who are not church leaders giving sermons. He believed that Saturday, not Sunday, should be the day of rest, known as the Sabbath. In 1651, he started the Mill Yard Church in London. This was the first known Seventh Day Baptist Church.
After a disagreement with the College of Physicians of London in 1649, Chamberlen moved to Essex in 1652. This was outside the College's area of control. His ideas became even more unusual. He was seen as a Fifth Monarchist. This was a group that believed a new, better society was coming soon.
Later Life and Legacy
When the king returned to power in 1660 (the Restoration), Chamberlen reminded King Charles II that he was the only royal doctor still alive from before the war. In 1661, he was reappointed as a royal physician.
Peter Chamberlen died in 1683 at Woodham Mortimer Hall in Essex. His strong religious beliefs were a big part of his later life.
His Writings and Ideas
One of Chamberlen's important books was A Voice in Rhama, or, The Crie of Women and Children (1647). In this book, he argued that midwives should be a recognized profession. At that time, the Church of England licensed midwives. Doctors who performed surgery, not regular physicians, usually handled difficult births. Chamberlen tried several times to get his family to control the licensing of midwives, but he was not successful.
Chamberlen wrote about many different topics. He was interested in helping the poor. His pamphlet The Poore Man's Advocate, or England's Samaritan pouring Oyle and Wyne into the Wounds of the Nation (1649) caught the attention of important thinkers. He suggested that some services should be controlled by the government, a bit like nationalisation. However, he still believed in private property and the way the economy worked. His ideas were seen as aiming for a better society.
He also believed that the death penalty (being put to death) should not be used for theft. He was one of the few writers of his time who deeply cared about the lives of poor people.
Family Home and Discoveries
In 1638, Chamberlen bought Woodham Mortimer Hall in Essex. This old house became his family home. A special blue plaque on the hall notes that the Chamberlens were pioneering doctors who helped with births.
The family sold the hall in 1715. In 1813, Peter Chamberlen's own forceps were found hidden under a trap door in the hall's attic. These important tools were later given to the Royal Society of Medicine.
Chamberlen married twice and had many children. His eldest son, Hugh Chamberlen the elder (1634 – after 1720), also used the forceps in his medical practice. Another son, Paul (1635–1717), was a well-known doctor who sold an "anodyne necklace." He claimed it could help with pregnancy and make teething easier for babies.
See also
- Sabbath in Christianity
- Seventh Day Baptists
