Robert Robertson (physician) facts for kids
Robert Robertson (1742–1829) was an important British surgeon. He was also a member of the Royal Society, which is a very old and respected group for scientists.
Robert Robertson was born in Scotland in 1742. He studied to become a surgeon, which is a type of doctor who performs operations.
He started his career as a doctor on whaling ships in 1760. Whaling ships hunted whales. Later, in 1768, he joined the Royal Navy as a doctor. The Royal Navy is the navy of the United Kingdom.
During his time at sea, he traveled a lot. He carefully wrote down what he saw about different illnesses. He paid special attention to fevers and scurvy. Scurvy was a common and dangerous disease for sailors back then. It was caused by not getting enough vitamin C.
Later Life and Contributions
After working for 23 years in the navy, Robert Robertson left to start his own medical practice. This was in a place called Hampshire.
In 1779, he earned a special medical degree from the University of Aberdeen. He also became a licensed doctor with the College of Physicians.
Around this time, he started working at the Greenwich Hospital. He became a doctor there and later even a director. At Greenwich Hospital, he was one of the first doctors to focus on caring for older people.
He retired from his work in 1807. Robert Robertson passed away in Greenwich in 1829.
His Writings
Robert Robertson wrote several important books about his medical observations. These books shared what he learned from his many years as a doctor, especially at sea.
- A Physical Journal: This book was about his trips to Africa and the West Indies. It also talked about a type of fever he saw in 1769.
- Observations on Jail, Hospital, or Ship Fever: This book shared his thoughts on fevers that happened in prisons, hospitals, and on ships. He made these observations over many years in different parts of the world.
- An Essay on Fevers: In this book, he wrote about fevers based on his 30 years of experience. He tried to understand how fevers spread and how to treat them.
- Observations on the Diseases incident to Seamen: This book focused on the illnesses that sailors often got.
- Synopsis Morborum: This was a summary of the main diseases that affected sailors and soldiers.
His writings helped other doctors understand and treat illnesses better, especially those affecting people in the navy.
