author
John Higginbottom
1788–1876
A pioneering English surgeon from Nottingham, he became known for promoting practical treatments and for his early work on the medical use of silver nitrate. His long career also brought him election to both the Royal Society and the Royal College of Surgeons.
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About the author
John Higginbottom was an English surgeon born on June 14, 1788, at Ashton-under-Lyne. After training in London, he returned to Nottingham, where he built a large practice and spent most of his professional life.
He is best remembered for his writings on the use of nitrate of silver in treating inflammation, wounds, ulcers, and erysipelas. His medical books were practical in tone and aimed at improving everyday treatment, which helped make his name known well beyond his own city.
Higginbottom was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1844 and a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1852. He died on April 7, 1876, leaving a reputation as a respected nineteenth-century surgeon and medical writer.