BUCHAN, WILLIAM, M. D. a
popular medical writer of great celebrity, was born in 1729, at Ancrum in
Roxburghshire. His grandfather had been obliged, for some time, to reside
with his family in Holland, on account of the religious troubles which
preceded the Revolution. His father possessed a small estate, in addition
to which he rented a farm from the Duke of Roxburgh. His genius for
medicine was displayed before he could have received any adequate
instruction; and even when a school-boy, he was at once the physician and
surgeon of the village. Nevertheless, being destined by his friends for
the church, he repaired to Edinburgh, to study divinity.
At the university he spent
the unusual time of nine years, studying anything rather than theology. At
this period of his life, mathematics and botany were among his favourite
pursuits. Finally, he devoted himself wholly to medicine. He enjoyed, at
this time, the friendship of the illustrious Gregory, whose liberal maxims
are believed to have had great influence over his future life. Before
taking his degree, he was induced, by the invitation of a fellow-student,
to settle in practice for some time in Yorkshire. While established
in that district, he became a candidate for the situation of Physician to
the Foundling Hospital, then supported by parliament at Ackworth, and,
after a fair trial of skill with ten professional men, was successful. In
this situation he laid the foundation of that knowledge of the diseases of
children, which afterwards appeared so conspicuous in his writings.
Having returned to
Edinburgh to take out his degree, he became acquainted with a
well-connected lady of the name of Peter, whom he soon after married. He
continued to be Physician to the Ackworth Foundling Hospital, till
parliament, becoming convinced of the bad effects of such an institution,
withdrew the annual grant of sixty thousand pounds, upon which it had
hitherto been supported. He then removed to Sheffield, where for some time
he enjoyed extensive practice. He appears to have spent the years between
1762 and 1766, in this town. He then commenced practice at Edinburgh, and
for several years was very well employed, though it was allowed that he
might have enjoyed much more business, if his convivial habits had not
distracted so much of his attention. He was not, however, anxious for an
extensive practice. Having for a considerable time directed his attention
to a digest of popular medical knowledge, he published, in 1769, his work
entitled, "Domestic Medicine; or, the Family Physician - being an
attempt to render the Medical Art more generally useful, by showing people
what is in their own power, both with respect to the prevention and cure
of diseases: chiefly calculated to recommend a proper attention to regimen
and simple medicines." This work, which had been much indebted, in
respect of its composition, to the ingenious William Smellie, was
published by Balfour, an eminent bookseller at Edinburgh, at the price of
six shillings; and such was its success, that "the first
edition," says the author, "of 5000 copies, was entirely sold
off in a corner of Britain, before another could be got
ready." The second edition appeared in 1772, "with considerable
additions."
The Domestic Medicine is
constructed on a plan similar to that adopted by Tissot in his Avis au
Peuple. It appealed to the wants and wishes of so large a class of the
community, that, considering it to have been the first work of the kind
published in Britain, there is no wonder that it should have attained such
success. Before the death of the author in 1805, nineteen large editions
had been sold, by which the publishers were supposed to realise annually
about £700, being exactly the sum which they are said to have given at
first for the copyright. The learned Duplanil of Paris, Physician to the
Count d' Artois [Charles X.], published an elegant translation in five
volumes, with some excellent notes, which rendered the work so popular on
the Continent, that in a short time no language in Christendom, not even
the Russian, wanted its translation. It would almost appear that
the work met with more undivided applause on the Continent than in
Britain. While many English and Scottish physicians conceived that it was
as apt to generate as to cure or prevent diseases, by inspiring the minds
of readers with hypochondriacal notions, those of other countries
entertained no such suspicions.
Among the testimonies of
approbation which Dr. Buchan received from abroad, was a huge gold
medallion, sent by the Empress Catherine of Russia, with a complimentary
letter. The work is said to have become more popular in America and the
West Indies, than in the elder hemisphere. The reputation which the author
thus acquired, induced him to remove to London, where for many years he
enjoyed a lucrative practice, though not so great as it might have been
made by a more prudent man. It was his custom to resort daily to the
Chapter Coffee-house, near St Paul’s, where he partly spent his time in
conversation with literary and eminent men, and partly in giving advice to
patients, who here resorted to him in great numbers, exactly as if it had
been his own house. At one time, he delivered lectures on Natural
Philosophy, which he illustrated by an excellent apparatus, the property
of his deceased friend James Ferguson. And in this capacity he is said to
have manifested as respectable abilities as in his character of a
physician!
Dr. Buchan was a man of
pleasing exterior, most agreeable manners, and great practical
benevolence. He cherished no species of antipathy, except one against
apothecaries, whom he believed to be a set of rogues, actuated by no
principle except a wish to sell their own drugs, at whatever hazard to
their patients. His conversation was much courted on account of his lively
spirits, and a fund of anecdote which seemed to be perfectly exhaustless.
He enjoyed a good constitution, which did not give way till the 25th of
February, 1805, when "he died in a moment", at his own house,
while walking between his sofa and his bed. The disorder was water in the
chest, which had been advancing upon him for some time, but was, up to the
last moment, so little alarming, that immediately before rising from the
sofa, he had been talking in his usual manner. The Doctor left a son and
daughter – the former a man of respectable gifts, and a fellow of the
London Royal College of Physicians. His remains were interred in the
cloisters of Westminster Abbey, next to those of the celebrated Jebb.
Two other works were
published by the Doctor. 1. A Treatise on Gonorrhea. 2. An Advice to
Mothers on the subject of their own health, and on the means of promoting
the health, strength, and beauty of their offspring. Each in one volume,
8vo.
Domestic
Medicine
A Treatise on the Prevention and Cure of
Diseases, by Regimen and Simple Medicines by William Buchan, M. D.
(1839) (pdf) |