Thomas Dover facts for kids
Thomas Dover (1660–1742), sometimes called "Doctor Quicksilver", was an English doctor. He is remembered for his medicine, Dover's powder, which helped with colds and fevers. He also worked with poor people in Bristol. A big part of his life was a sea journey with William Dampier and Woodes Rogers. On this trip, they rescued Alexander Selkirk, a real castaway who inspired the famous book Robinson Crusoe.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Thomas Dover was born in Barton-on-the-Heath in 1660. His family was well-known but also a bit rebellious. For example, his great-grandfather was removed from his job at Corpus Christi College, Oxford for his beliefs. Thomas's grandfather, Robert Dover, was a lawyer who started the Cotswold Olimpick Games. Thomas's father, John Dover, was a soldier during the English Civil War.
Thomas was one of eight children. He likely went to Chipping Campden Grammar School. In 1680, he went to the University of Oxford and earned a degree in 1684. Two years later, he studied medicine at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. He learned from a famous doctor named Thomas Sydenham. While studying, Thomas got smallpox. He was treated with an unusual method: blood was taken from him, and he drank a special beer mix every day. The treatment worked, and he finished his medical studies in 1687.
Thomas Dover's Career
After finishing his studies, Thomas Dover married in 1681. He went back to Barton-on-the-Heath to help his sick father and work as a country doctor. When his father passed away in 1696, Dover moved to Bristol. There, he started his own medical practice. He also worked as a volunteer doctor at St. Peter's Hospital for the Bristol Corporation of the Poor. He was the first doctor to offer his services to this group, helping those in need.
Dover's own practice in Bristol became very successful. Bristol was a large city with few doctors, but many rich merchants. When typhus spread, his patient list grew even more. He saw up to 25 patients a day! Soon, he could afford a house in the fancy Queen Square. This was also where Woodes Rogers, a sea captain, lived. Dover would soon start a new adventure with him.
Privateering Adventure
In 1702, Dover traveled to the West Indies. This trip clearly made him want more adventure. In 1708, William Dampier came to Bristol. He wanted to start a new privateer mission to capture a Spanish treasure ship. Privateering was like legal piracy, where ships were allowed by their government to attack enemy ships.
Dover invested a lot of money in the plan. He became a part-owner and second captain of a privateer ship called the Duke. Woodes Rogers was the main captain. Dover was called "Captain Dover" because he put in a lot of money for the trip. He also had an important role as the head of the expedition council, giving him two votes in all decisions. Even though there were four surgeons on board, Dover's medical skills would be needed later.
On August 1, 1708, the Duke and another ship, the Duchess, began their privateering journey. On February 2, 1709, they saw a light on the Juan Fernández Islands. Dover led a group to check it out. They found a fire lit by Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish sailor. Selkirk had been left on the island in 1705 because he thought his ship, the Cinque Ports, was not safe. Selkirk was right; his ship sank a month later. His four years alone on the island and his rescue later inspired the famous novel Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe.
In April 1709, Dover led another landing party, but this time for a different reason. The two ships found the city of Guayaquil in what is now Ecuador. A raiding party was sent into the city. Dover's command was successful, and only two crew members were lost in the attack. However, about 180 people on the ships became very sick after the raid. Dover went back to his medical duties. He told the surgeons to take blood from the sick sailors and give them a diluted sulphuric acid drink. This treatment worked, and only a few sailors died.
At one point, the ships visited Java. There, Dover sold a captured ship called the Marquis. The captain who bought it, Captain Opie, would later marry Dover's daughter. As the journey ended, the privateers captured another ship. After a big discussion, Dover was made its captain.
The three-year journey finally ended, and the captured treasures were shared among the investors. Dover received a large amount of money, enough to become very wealthy. Even though some called the privateers "pirates", a law passed in 1708 made their actions legal. Dover wasn't ready to settle down yet and took a holiday across Europe.
Return to Medicine
Thomas Dover started his medical practice again in Bristol. Then, in 1720, he moved to Strand, London. Around this time, his wife died. He also lost most of his money because of bad investments, including a large amount in the collapse of the South Sea Company. In 1721, he successfully joined the Royal College of Physicians. His own experience with smallpox and the care he got from Sydenham became very important when smallpox broke out in London. Dover successfully used a "cooling method" to treat patients.
In 1729, he briefly returned to Bristol. He spent a lot of time writing a book that would become both popular and debated. The Ancient Physician's Legacy to his Country was first published in 1732 after Dover moved back to London. He saw patients at a popular place called the Jerusalem coffee house.
Dover's medical book was meant to teach both doctors and the general public. He described about 120 diseases, sharing his experiences and adventures as if the book were a travel diary. While he showed some good knowledge about medicines, his understanding of medicine was sometimes seen as limited. His descriptions of some diseases were very brief, and he included "outrageous inaccuracies." Dover also made many accusations against the College of Physicians and wrote negative comments about other doctors.
Because of what he wrote in this book, Dover got the nickname "Doctor Quicksilver." He suggested using mercury (which was sometimes called quicksilver) to cure many illnesses. Other doctors disagreed with him. However, the book's popularity and Dover's strong personality made the use of mercury popular for many years.
The book was printed many times, with the last edition coming out twenty years after Dover died. It was also translated into French. The most lasting thing from his book is Dover's powder. It was first suggested for pain relief and then for making people sweat. This powder was a mix of opium, ipecacuanha, and potassium sulphate (later liquorice). The amounts of these ingredients changed over time, but the powder was used for over 200 years.
Retirement and Death
Dover's success with his book and his powder helped him get his money back. In 1736, he moved into a house in Arundel Street with his friend Robert Tracy. He finally retired when he was in his eighties. He died there in 1742. Thomas Dover was buried in Stanway, Gloucestershire in the Tracy family's burial place. The Glenside Hospital museum has an exhibit about Dover.
