William Beatty (surgeon) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Beatty
Beatty c. 1806
Born	April 1773 Derry, Ireland
Died	25 March 1842(1842-03-25) (aged 68) London, England
Buried	Kensal Green Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1791–1839
Rank	Physician of the Fleet
Battles/wars	Battle of Trafalgar

Sir William Beatty (April 1773 – 25 March 1842) was an Irish surgeon who worked for the Royal Navy. He was born in Derry, Ireland. At 18, in 1791, he joined the Navy as a surgeon's helper. He is most famous for being the main doctor on HMS Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar. There, he saw Admiral Horatio Nelson die. Beatty also wrote an important book about the battle called Authentic Narrative of the Death of Lord Nelson.

A Life of Service

Early Life and Training

William Beatty was the oldest son of James Beatty and Anne Smyth. He was born in the Waterside area of Derry. We don't have many records about his early schooling. He likely went to a local school, perhaps Foyle College.

After school, he started his medical training. He might have learned from his uncle, George Smyth, who was also a naval surgeon. Then, he studied medicine in either Glasgow or London. On May 5, 1791, when he was 18, Beatty passed an exam. This exam, given by the Royal College of Surgeons of England, meant he could work for the Navy.

Starting as a Surgeon's Mate

Right away, Beatty became a second surgeon's helper on a ship called Dictator. Soon after, he moved to another ship, the frigate Iphigenia. On February 1, 1793, he became the first surgeon's helper on Hermione. This was the same day that France declared war on Britain.

His ship sailed to the Caribbean. There, on December 5, 1793, he became the acting surgeon on a small ship called Flying Fish. Later, on June 25, 1794, he became the acting surgeon on Alligator. On this ship, he faced a serious outbreak of yellow fever. About 50 men, a quarter of the crew, died from the disease. After this, Alligator returned to England. In February 1795, Beatty took another exam and was fully qualified to be a ship's surgeon.

Becoming a Ship's Surgeon

Beatty joined the frigate Pomona in March 1795. However, he had a disagreement with his captain. The captain accused Beatty of not doing his job well and had him arrested. Beatty had a court martial, which is like a trial for military members. A group of 12 senior captains heard the case. They decided Beatty was innocent of all charges.

In September 1795, Beatty moved to the frigate Amethyst. But just three months later, the ship was wrecked near Guernsey during a strong storm. Luckily, Beatty was safe. His next ship was the frigate Alcmene, which he joined in March 1796. This ship was very active off the coasts of Portugal and Spain. It captured many enemy ships.

On October 17, 1799, Alcmene and other British frigates captured two Spanish ships. These Spanish ships were full of gold bullion and other valuable goods! The British sailors were thrilled. The prize money from these captures was huge, totaling £652,000. Beatty's share was £2,468, which was like 40 times his yearly pay.

Beatty left Alcmene in March 1801. He then served on Resistance until January 1802. This was when the Peace of Amiens was signed, ending the war between France and England. Beatty then received half-pay as a surgeon.

The peace did not last long. Britain declared war again in May 1803. In July, Beatty became the surgeon of Spencer. This ship was part of a blockade off the coast of France. In December 1804, Beatty was chosen to be the surgeon for the most important ship, Victory. This was Admiral Nelson's flagship.

The Battle of Trafalgar

The famous Battle of Trafalgar happened on October 21, 1805. On that day, Victory had 821 crew members. During the battle, 62 men were killed and 109 were wounded. Beatty himself performed 11 amputations, mostly on legs. These operations saved many lives, and only six of the wounded men later died.

Admiral Nelson was also wounded during the battle. Beatty did not treat Nelson, believing his injury was too severe to be helped. Nelson wanted his body to be buried in his home country, not at sea. So, Beatty had to preserve the Admiral's body for the long trip back to Britain. He decided to place Nelson's body in a barrel of brandy.

Beatty wrote that gases from the body caused the barrel lid to open at one point, which surprised the marine guard. When the ship reached Gibraltar, more spirits of wine had to be added to the barrel. As Victory neared England, Beatty performed an autopsy on Nelson. He removed the musket ball that had killed him. This musket ball is now kept at Windsor Castle. Beatty also wrote a report called A Concise History of the Wound. He then attended Nelson's important state funeral in London.

Victory was taken out of service in January 1806. Beatty then became the head surgeon of Sussex, a hospital ship. There, he wrote his famous book, Authentic Narrative of the Death of Lord Nelson, which was published in 1807.

Becoming Physician of the Fleet

On September 25, 1806, Beatty was appointed the main doctor, or "physician," for the Channel Fleet. He had earned a special medical degree from the University of Aberdeen School of Medicine earlier that year. His new job was mostly based on land and involved managing medical care. In 1807, he and other naval surgeons actively promoted the new vaccination against smallpox. Beatty served in this important role until August 1815, when the war ended.

Later Career and Honors

After the war, Beatty continued his medical studies. He earned a second medical degree from the University of St Andrews in 1817. He then worked as a doctor in Plymouth for five years. In 1818, he became a member of the Linnean Society of London and a Fellow of the Royal Society. These are very respected scientific groups.

In September 1822, Beatty became the Physician at Greenwich Hospital in London. He stayed there for 17 years. He was also appointed a special doctor to King George IV and later to the Duke of Clarence. The Duke of Clarence later became King William IV. In 1831, King William IV gave Beatty a special honor, making him a knight.

Sir William Beatty also became a well-known person in London's business and science worlds. He was a director of an insurance company and a railway company. He used his wealth to build a large collection of books and old writings.

Retirement and Legacy

Beatty retired in July 1839 at 66 years old. For his 41 years of service, he received a pension of £200 per year. He lived in London and helped organize the building of Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square.

Sir William Beatty died on March 25, 1842, from acute bronchitis. He was not married. He was buried in an unmarked vault at Kensal Green Cemetery, as he had wished. In the 1990s, a group called the 1805 Club placed a memorial plaque to mark his grave. This club works to remember the brave men of Trafalgar.

Media

William Beatty was played by Francis Magee in a 2005 Channel 4 TV show. This show, called Trafalgar: Battle Surgeon, focused on what Beatty did during the famous battle.

You can see Beatty's instrument case at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.