William Baylies (physician) facts for kids
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William Baylies (1724–1787) was a skilled English doctor who lived in the 1700s. He was well-known for his medical abilities and even became a physician to important rulers.
There's a famous story about Baylies and the King of Prussia. The King once joked that to become such a good doctor, Baylies must have "killed a great many people." Baylies quickly replied in French, "Pas tant que votre Majesté" which means "Not as many as Your Majesty!" This witty answer showed his cleverness.
Baylies passed away in Berlin on March 2, 1789. He left his collection of books to the King of Prussia. A picture of him, created by Johann Heinrich Schmidt and engraved by Daniel Berger, was published in Berlin.
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The Life of William Baylies
William Baylies was born in Worcestershire, England. For some years, he worked as an apothecary, which was like a pharmacist who also prepared medicines.
After marrying the daughter of a wealthy lawyer named Thomas Cooke, Baylies began to study medicine. He earned his degree as a M.D. from Aberdeen on December 18, 1748. Later, on August 7, 1757, he was chosen as a fellow of the Edinburgh College of Physicians.
His Time in Bath and London
Baylies practiced medicine for many years in Bath, a city famous for its natural spring waters. In 1757, he published a book called Reflections on the Use and Abuse of Bath Waters. This book led to disagreements with other leading doctors in the city, Dr. Lucas and Dr. Oliver.
He wrote another pamphlet about this argument, but the controversy damaged his medical practice in Bath. Because of this, he decided to move to London.
In 1761, Baylies tried to become a member of Parliament for Evesham, but he was not successful. He later became a physician at the Middlesex Hospital in London on November 8, 1764. On September 30, 1765, he became a licentiate of the College of Physicians in London. He became quite famous for the grand parties he hosted at his home in Great George Street, Westminster.
Moving to Germany
Eventually, financial problems forced Baylies to leave England. He moved to Germany, first settling in Dresden. Later, he moved to Berlin, where he achieved an important position: he became the personal physician to Frederick the Great, the King of Prussia.
Other Books by William Baylies
William Baylies wrote several other books during his career. These include:
- Remarks on Perry's Analysis of the Stratford Mineral Water, published in Stratford-on-Avon in 1745. This book was about the mineral water from Stratford.
- A History of the General Hospital at Bath, published in London in 1758. This book detailed the history of a hospital in Bath.
- Facts and Observations relative to Inoculation at Berlin, published in Edinburgh in 1781. This book discussed observations about inoculation (an early form of vaccination) in Berlin. A French version of this book was published earlier in Dresden in 1776.
