John Parsons (1742 – 1785) was an English

physician A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

Life

The son of Major Parsons of the

Dragoons Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat ...

, who resided 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 ...

, he was born at

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

in 1742. He was educated at

Westminster School (God Gives the Increase) , established = Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560 , type = Public school Independent day and boarding school , religion = Church of England , head_label = Hea ...

, becoming a king's scholar in 1756. In 1759, he was elected to

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

, where he matriculated on 19 June. He graduated B.A. 27 April 1763, and M.A. 6 June 1766. Parsons subsequently studied medicine at Oxford, London, and Edinburgh, with a preference for natural history and botany, and while at Edinburgh in 1766 was awarded the Hope prize medal for the best

Hortus Siccus A herbarium (plural: herbaria) is a collection of preserved plant biological specimen, specimens and associated data used for scientific study. The specimens may be whole plants or plant parts; these will usually be in dried form mounted on a sh ...

. In 1766 or 1767 he was elected the first professor of anatomy on the foundation of

John Freind John Freind may refer to: *Sir John Freind (conspirator) or John Friend (died 1696), English civil servant; executed *John Freind (physician) (1675–1728), English physician *Sir John Freind Robinson, 1st Baronet John Freind Robinson, 1st Baro ...

and Matthew Lee at Christ Church, Oxford. He graduated M.B. on 12 April 1769, and M.D. 22 June 1772. Parsons was elected reader in anatomy in the university in 1769, physician to the

Radcliffe Infirmary The Radcliffe Infirmary was a hospital in central north Oxford, England, located at the southern end of Woodstock Road on the western side, backing onto Walton Street. History The initial proposals to build a hospital in Oxford were put forw ...

6 May 1772, and first clinical professor on Lord Lichfield's foundation 1780–5. Under his direction an anatomical theatre was built at Oxford. Parsons was admitted a candidate of the

Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of physicians by examination. Founded by royal charter from King Henry VIII in 1 ...

on 30 September 1774, and fellow a year later, 30 September 1775. In 1784 he delivered the

Harveian oration The Harveian Oration is a yearly lecture held at the Royal College of Physicians of London. It was instituted in 1656 by William Harvey, discoverer of the systemic circulation. Harvey made financial provision for the college to hold an annual feas ...

. Parsons died of fever on 9 April 1785, and was buried in

Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the Anglican diocese of Oxford, which consists of the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. It is also the chapel of Christ Church, a college of the University of Oxford. This dual r ...

, where there was a white marble gravestone to his memory. In July 1772, he had married Anne Hough. After his death she married John Grosvenor.

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Parsons, John 1742 births 1785 deaths 18th-century English medical doctors Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford