Sir George Baker, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Sir George Baker, 1st Baronet (born January 1, 1722 – died June 15, 1809), was a very important doctor. He was even the personal physician to King George III of England.
He was born in a town called Modbury in Devon, England. His father, also named George Baker, was a vicar, which is a type of church leader. George Baker went to two famous schools: Eton College and King's College, Cambridge. In 1749, he traveled to Leyden University to study medicine. He earned his medical degree (MD) in 1756. Soon after, he joined the Royal College of Physicians, which is a group for top doctors.
He started his medical practice in Stamford, Lincolnshire. But around 1761, he moved back to London. There, he became very successful and well-known. He was even chosen as the President of the Royal College of Physicians nine times between 1785 and 1795. This shows how respected he was by other doctors.
Solving the "Devonshire Colic" Mystery
Sir George Baker made a very important discovery. He studied a painful and sometimes deadly illness called "Devonshire colic." This illness was common in the Devon area. He believed it was caused by lead poisoning from drinking cider. At that time, lead was sometimes used in the process of making cider. When lead was removed from the cider-making process, the problem of Devonshire colic disappeared. This proved his theory was correct and saved many lives.
Doctor to the King
Because of his skill, Sir George Baker was appointed as a doctor to the Queen's household. Later, he became the personal physician to King George III. He cared for the King during times when the King was unwell. On August 26, 1776, he was given the special title of Baronet Baker of Loventor. This meant he became "Sir George Baker, 1st Baronet."
A Smart Scholar
Sir George Baker was not just a great doctor. He was also very smart and knew a lot about old languages. He was fluent in both Latin and Greek. He wrote many medical papers in Latin. In 1762, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a group for top scientists. He was also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, which studies history and old things. He was also honored by medical groups in Edinburgh and Paris.
He passed away in 1809 when he was 87 years old. He was buried at St James's Church, Piccadilly in London. A simple stone tablet there remembers him. He had married Jane Morris in 1768. They had two children. His son, Sir Frederick, inherited his special title.
