Thomas Winston facts for kids

Thomas Winston (born 1576, died 1655) was an English doctor. He was a very smart person who studied medicine in different countries. He became a professor and helped teach others about the human body.

Life of a Doctor

Thomas Winston was the son of Thomas Winston, a carpenter, and Judith Lancaster. He grew up in Painswick, a town in Gloucestershire, England.

He went to Clare Hall, Cambridge for his education. He earned his Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in 1602. He continued to work at the college as a fellow until 1617.

After Cambridge, he traveled to study medicine. He went to Padua, Italy, where he learned from a famous teacher named Fabricius ab Aquapendente. He also studied in Basle, Switzerland, with another important teacher, Caspar Bauhin. He earned his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree in Padua. In 1608, his M.D. degree was also recognized at Cambridge.

Becoming a Physician

In London, Thomas Winston joined the Royal College of Physicians. This was a very important group for doctors.

• In 1610, he became a "licentiate," which meant he was officially allowed to practice medicine.
• In 1613, he became a "candidate," a step towards full membership.
• In 1615, he was elected a "fellow," meaning he was a full and respected member of the college.

He also served as a "censor" ten times between 1622 and 1637. A censor was like an examiner who made sure other doctors followed the rules.

Thomas Winston was also involved with the Virginia Company. This company helped set up the first English colonies in America. He regularly attended their meetings in London until 1621. He even helped edit a book about the Virginia colony in 1620.

Professor and Practitioner

In 1615, Thomas Winston became the Professor of Physic at Gresham College. This was a teaching job where he taught about medicine. He held this position until 1642. At that time, he suddenly went to France.

He returned to England in 1652. With help from William Lenthall, he got his professorship back. He continued teaching until he died. He was a very busy doctor and had many patients. He even had an apothecary (someone who prepared medicines) who worked with him. Thomas Winston passed away on October 24, 1655.

His Medical Works

Thomas Winston's writings show that he studied anatomy very carefully. Anatomy is the study of the body's structure. He knew a lot about both human and animal bodies. He had read many books by Galen, a famous ancient Greek physician, and other Latin writers. A scholar named Meric Casaubon praised how much he knew.

After he died, his "Anatomy Lectures" were published in London in 1659 and 1664. However, he did not make any new discoveries in medicine. He still believed some old ideas that were later proven wrong. For example, he thought there were small openings in the septum (the wall) between the two lower chambers of the heart, called ventricles.

He also did not seem to know about William Harvey's important work on the circulation of the blood. Harvey had discovered that blood flows in a circle through the body. Winston still believed that arteries carried "vital spirit" (a kind of energy) from the heart, as well as blood.