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William Franklin (physician) facts for kids

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Tomb of Dr William Franklin FRS in Rochester Cathedral
Tomb of Dr William Franklin FRS in Rochester Cathedral
Malta - Gzira - Manoel Island - Lazzaretto+Fort (MSTHC) 01 ies
Lazzaretto Hospital on Manoel Island, Malta

Sir William Franklin (1763–1833) was an important English surgeon. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a group of famous scientists.

He was born in London in 1763. William studied medicine at Aberdeen University in Scotland. His first job was helping out at the Foundling Hospital in London. He then joined the British Army as a surgeon's assistant in 1787.

Early Military Career

William Franklin became a full surgeon in the army in 1790. In 1795, he traveled with his army group to the West Indies. There, he worked as both a surgeon and a pharmacist for the soldiers.

Aberdeen University gave him his medical doctorate (MD) in 1795. This meant he was now a fully qualified doctor.

Leading Army Hospitals

In 1796, William became an Assistant Inspector of Hospitals. This job meant he helped manage military hospitals, even those in other countries. In 1799, he was part of the Helder Expedition. This was a British invasion of Holland, where he helped care for soldiers during battles.

By 1800, he was promoted again to Assistant Inspector General. He worked in Egypt and then moved to Malta in 1801. In Malta, he became the head of all medical services. This included running the Lazaretto Hospital, which was a special hospital for people who needed to be kept separate to stop diseases from spreading. He also looked after medical services in Sicily.

In 1802, he became an Inspector of Hospitals.

Highest Medical Position

In 1804, William Franklin was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. This was a big honor for doctors.

On July 12, 1810, he reached the highest position in British military medicine. He became the Principal Inspector General of Hospitals. This happened partly because some previous leaders had problems during a mission called the Walcheren Expedition.

In May 1820, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. This shows how respected he was in the world of science and medicine.

William Franklin retired in July 1833. He passed away on October 29, 1833, at his son-in-law's home in London. He is buried in Rochester Cathedral. A special monument was made for his grave by a sculptor named Samuel Joseph in 1837.

Family Life

On May 25, 1815, William Franklin married Joanna Trigance in London. She was from Valletta, Malta. They had eight children together:

  • Mary Concetta Franklin
  • Jane Concetta Franklin
  • Eliza Concetta Franklin
  • William Richard Franklin
  • Henry "Francis" Franklin
  • Robert Moss Franklin
  • Frances Concetta Franklin
  • Major General Charles Trigance Franklin (1823-1895)

His daughter, Mary Concetta Franklin, later married a man named William James Early Bennett.

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