Samuel Farr (physician) facts for kids
Samuel Farr (born in 1741, died in 1795) was an English doctor. He was known for his medical writings and his work as a physician in the 1700s.
The Life of Samuel Farr
Samuel Farr was born in Taunton, Somerset, England, in 1741. His family were Protestant Dissenters, meaning they were Protestants who did not follow the official Church of England.
He received a good education. First, he studied at Warrington Academy. Then, he went to the University of Edinburgh and later to Leiden University. At Leiden, he earned his degree as a Doctor of Medicine (MD) in 1765.
From 1767 to 1780, Dr. Farr worked as a doctor at the Bristol Infirmary, which was a hospital in Bristol. He practiced medicine there for several years. In 1779, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very important group for scientists and thinkers.
Later, Samuel Farr returned to Taunton, where he had a very busy medical practice. He passed away on March 11, 1795, at a place called Upcott, near Taunton.
Samuel Farr's Writings
Samuel Farr wrote several books and papers about medicine. Here are some of his published works:
- An Essay on the Medical Virtues of Acids (1769): This book explored the health benefits of acids.
- A Philosophical Inquiry into the Nature, Origin, and Extent of Animal Motion (1771): This work looked into how living things move, based on science and logic.
- Aphorismi de Marasmo ex summis Medicis collecti (1772): This was a collection of short sayings or principles about "marasmus," a type of severe malnutrition, gathered from important doctors.
- Inquiry into the Propriety of Blood-letting in Consumption (1775): In this book, he argued against the common practice of "blood-letting" (removing blood from a patient) for a lung disease called "consumption" (now known as tuberculosis).
- The History of Epidemics, by Hippocrates (1781): He translated this important work by the ancient Greek doctor Hippocrates from Greek into English. It included his own notes and thoughts on how diseases spread.
- A Preliminary Discourse on the Nature and Cure of Infection (1781): This paper discussed how infections happen and how to treat them.
- Elements of Medical Jurisprudence (1788): This book was a translation of another work, with Dr. Farr adding his own ideas. Medical jurisprudence is about how medical knowledge is used in legal cases.
- On the Use of Cantharides in Dropsical Complaints (1789): This paper discussed using a substance called "cantharides" to treat "dropsy," a condition where too much fluid builds up in the body.
