George Motherby M.D. (baptised 1731 – 1793) was an English physician and medical writer. He is noted for the early definition of the medical term ''

placebo A placebo ( ) is a substance or treatment which is designed to have no therapeutic value. Common placebos include inert tablets (like sugar pills), inert injections (like Saline (medicine), saline), sham surgery, and other procedures. In general ...

'' in the 1785 edition of his medical dictionary.

Life

He was born in

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

, the son of George Motherby and his wife Anne Hotham;

Robert Motherby Robert Motherby (23 December 1736 – 13 February 1801) was an English merchant in based in East Prussia, and a friend of Immanuel Kant. Early life Robert Motherby was born in Kingston upon Hull, the son of George Motherby (born 20 December ...

was a younger brother, and his elder sister Anne married the London bookseller George Robinson (1736–1801). He gained an MD degree at

King's College, Aberdeen King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland, the full title of which is The University and King's College of Aberdeen (''Collegium Regium Abredonense''), is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and now an integral part of the Universi ...

in 1767. Motherby then practised as a physician at

Königsberg Königsberg (, ) was the historic Prussian city that is now Kaliningrad, Russia. Königsberg was founded in 1255 on the site of the ancient Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teutonic Knights during the Northern Crusades, and was named ...

, in the

Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia (german: Königreich Preußen, ) was a German kingdom that constituted the state of Prussia between 1701 and 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Re ...

. Through Robert, he came to be on good terms there with Johann Georg Hamann; and vaccinated one of his sons. Motherby was later at

Highgate, Middlesex Highgate ( ) is a suburban area of north London at the northeastern corner of Hampstead Heath, north-northwest of Charing Cross. Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has two active conservation organisati ...

. He died at

Beverley, Yorkshire Beverley is a market town, market and minster (church), minster town and a civil parishes in England, civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, of which it is the county town. The town centre is located south-east of York's centre ...

, in July 1793.

Works

Motherby compiled ''A new Medical Dictionary'', London, 1775 (2nd edit. 1785). Other editions, revised by

George Wallis George Wallis (1811–1891) was an artist, museum curator and art educator. He was the first Keeper of Fine Art Collection at South Kensington Museum (later the Victoria & Albert Museum) in London. Early years George Wallis, son of John Wal ...

, M.D., appeared in 1791, 1795, and 1801; the two final editions were in two volumes. The articles included citations. A study of the first edition concluded that the most cited authorities were

William Lewis William or Willie Lewis may refer to: Politicians * William Lewis (MP for Anglesey) (by 1526–1601 or later), MP for Anglesey in 1553 and 1555 * William Lewis (MP for Helston), MP for Helston in 1584 * William Lewis (MP for King's Lynn) (died 15 ...

(when his translation from

Caspar Neumann Caspar (or Kaspar) Neumann (14 September 1648 – 27 January 1715) was a German professor and clergyman from Breslau with a special scientific interest in mortality rates. Biography Caspar Neuman was born September 14, 1648 in Breslau, to M ...

is included),

John Ray John Ray FRS (29 November 1627 – 17 January 1705) was a Christian English naturalist widely regarded as one of the earliest of the English parson-naturalists. Until 1670, he wrote his name as John Wray. From then on, he used 'Ray', after ...

, and Herman Boerhaave; followed by

Hippocrates Hippocrates of Kos (; grc-gre, Ἱπποκράτης ὁ Κῷος, Hippokrátēs ho Kôios; ), also known as Hippocrates II, was a Greek physician of the classical period who is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of ...

and

Galen Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus ( el, Κλαύδιος Γαληνός; September 129 – c. AD 216), often Anglicized as Galen () or Galen of Pergamon, was a Greek physician, surgeon and philosopher in the Roman Empire. Considered to be one of ...

Notes

Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Motherby, George 1731 births 1793 deaths 18th-century English medical doctors English medical writers English lexicographers People from Yorkshire