I3 2 FOTHERGILL'S MEDICAL FRIENDS CHAP. 



John Fothergill, having been born at Sedbergh in 1733. 

 After study at Sedbergh School and Edinburgh, and then 

 at Leyden and Paris, he graduated M.D. at the Scottish 

 capital in 1763 with a thesis on intermittent fever. His 

 elder namesake opened his house in London to him, and 

 proved both then and afterwards his friend and adviser. 

 By his counsel Anthony Fothergill settled at Northampton 

 as a physician in the year 1764. In the unexpected 

 difficulties which he met with in that town John Fothergill 

 wrote to encourage him : " Depend more on propriety 

 of conduct than on any recommendations, though these 

 ought not to be neglected. Have patience, be firm. 

 There is a secret superintending Providence that directs 

 everything for the best. All that we have to do is to act 

 uprightly and to the best of our skill in everything that 

 offers. Difficulties are of use to the prudent." 



The prospects at Northampton improved ; Anthony 

 Fothergill became physician to the hospital there, and 

 besides his active medical work pursued scientific re- 

 searches, which were recognised by the fellowship of the 

 Royal Society in 1778. He often consulted John Fother- 

 gill about his cases, and received many medical letters 

 from him. Upon the death of the latter in 1780, Anthony 

 Fothergill essayed to follow him in his house at Harpur 

 Street, but this not answering his wishes he went to Bath, 

 where he acquired much repute and a large income. 



An active member of the Medical Society which 

 Lettsom had founded, he contributed papers to it upon 

 influenza, consumption, the treatment of epilepsy, en- 

 larged prostate and gummi rubrum. But his chief work, 

 which he pursued through many years, was the investiga- 

 tion of the causes of sudden death and the means of 

 restoring animation, especially in cases of drowning. An 

 essay on this subject was awarded in 1794 the gold medal 

 of the Royal Humane Society, of which body he was an 

 early member. 1 



1 A New Inquiry into the Suspension of Vital A ction in Cases of Drowning 

 and Suffocation. Three editions were published. He also wrote on lead 

 poisoning, on the abuse of spirituous liquors, and on the Cheltenham 

 waters. 



