Robert Pitt (physician) facts for kids
Robert Pitt (1653–1713) was an English doctor who lived a long time ago. He was known for his important work in medicine, especially for trying to make sure people got real, helpful treatments instead of expensive, useless ones. He wanted to make medicine honest and easy to understand.
Robert Pitt's Early Life and Career
Robert Pitt was born in 1653 in a town called Blandford Forum in Dorset, England. His father was also named Robert Pitt. A famous poet named Christopher Pitt was his nephew.
When he was about 16, Robert Pitt started studying at Wadham College, a part of Oxford University, in 1669. He was a very good student and earned a scholarship in 1670. He got his first degree (Bachelor of Arts) in 1672. He became a Fellow of his college in 1674, which meant he was a senior member of the university. In 1677, he became a Dean, a leader within the college.
He continued his studies, earning his Master of Arts degree in 1675. He then focused on medicine, getting his Bachelor of Medicine degree in 1678 and his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree in 1682. While at Oxford, he also taught about the human body (anatomy). In 1682, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society, a very important group for scientists.
In 1684, Dr. Pitt moved to London. He joined the Royal College of Physicians, which is a professional group for doctors. He became a full member in 1687. He also served as a "censor" for the college in 1687 and 1702, which meant he helped make sure doctors followed the rules.
Dr. Pitt lived in different parts of London. In 1698, he became a doctor at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, a well-known hospital. He worked there until 1707. He passed away on January 13, 1713.
Robert Pitt's Important Medical Work
Dr. Pitt was involved in a big discussion among doctors in 1696. The Royal College of Physicians had opened a "dispensary." This was a place where poor people could get medicines at a low cost, or even for free. Some doctors didn't like this idea because they thought it would hurt their own businesses.
In 1702, Dr. Pitt wrote a very important book called The Craft and Frauds of Physick exposed. In this book, he showed that many useful medicines were actually cheap. He also pointed out that some very expensive medicines were completely useless. He warned people about the dangers of taking too much medicine.
For example, he discovered that sarsaparilla, which was a popular medicine for over a hundred years, didn't actually do anything. He also said that other old-fashioned remedies, like bezoar stones (which come from animal stomachs), powder made from snakes, or even ground-up mummies, were not helpful at all. He proved that these things had no real effect on health. This book was so popular that new versions were printed in 1703.
He wrote more books on similar topics:
- In 1704, he published The Antidote, or the Preservative of Life and Health and the Restorative of Physick to its Sincerity and Perfection.
- In 1705, he wrote The Frauds and Villainies of the Common Practice of Physic demonstrated to be curable by the College Dispensary.
These books continued his fight for honest and effective medicine. Another doctor, Joseph Browne, disagreed with Dr. Pitt and wrote a book against his ideas in 1704.
Dr. Pitt also published a scientific paper in 1691 in a journal called Philosophical Transactions. This paper was about the weight of a land tortoise. He worked with Sir George Ent to compare the tortoise's weight before and after it hibernated (slept through winter) over several years.
Robert Pitt's Family
In 1686, Robert Pitt married Martha Nourse. She was the daughter of John Nourse from Wood Eaton, a place in Oxfordshire.
