A. (Anthony) Fothergill

author

A. (Anthony) Fothergill

d. 1813

A respected 18th-century English physician, he wrote practical medical works and earned notice for his ideas on reviving people who seemed drowned or suffocated. His life also stretched across Britain and early America, ending after a late return from Philadelphia to England.

1 Audiobook

An essay on the preservation of shipwrecked mariners : in answer to the prize-questions proposed by the Royal Humane Society : "1. What are the best means of preserving mariners from shipwreck?-2. Of keeping the vessel afloat?-3. Of giving assistance to the crew, when boats dare not venture out to their aid?"

An essay on the preservation of shipwrecked mariners : in answer to the prize-questions proposed by the Royal Humane Society : "1. What are the best means of preserving mariners from shipwreck?-2. Of keeping the vessel afloat?-3. Of giving assistance to the crew, when boats dare not venture out to their aid?"

by A. (Anthony) Fothergill

About the author

Born in Sedbergh, Yorkshire, around 1732 or 1735, Anthony Fothergill studied medicine at Edinburgh, then continued his training at Leiden and Paris. He later practiced in Northampton and became known as a thoughtful physician and medical writer.

His books and essays were aimed at useful, everyday concerns, including family health and public welfare. He was especially noted for an essay on restoring people apparently dead from drowning or suffocation, work that brought him recognition from the Royal Humane Society.

In 1803 he retired from active practice and spent several years in Philadelphia, apparently intending to remain there. With the approach of war in 1812 he returned to England, and he died in London on 11 May 1813. He left a substantial part of his fortune to charitable institutions, adding a final note of public generosity to a long medical career.