John Rotherham or Rotheram (c.1750–1804) was an 18th-century British physician and scientist.

Life

He was born around 1750 in Hexham in northern England, the son of Catherine Roberts and her husband Dr John Rotheram. He was the eldest brother of seven siblings, one of which was

Edward Rotheram Captain Edward Rotheram CB (27 December 1753 – 6 November 1830) was a senior officer of the British Royal Navy, who served for many years during the American War of Independence, French Revolutionary War and Napoleonic Wars. During his se ...

. He was educated at Newcastle Grammar School in part learning mathematics and physics from his father and

Charles Hutton Charles Hutton FRS FRSE LLD (14 August 1737 – 27 January 1823) was a British mathematician and surveyor. He was professor of mathematics at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich from 1773 to 1807. He is remembered for his calculation of the ...

. He was then sent to Sweden to study medicine and sciences at the

University of Uppsala Uppsala University ( sv, Uppsala universitet) is a public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Founded in 1477, it is the oldest university in Sweden and the Nordic countries still in operation. The university rose to significance during ...

under

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his Nobility#Ennoblement, ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalise ...

and Prof Bergmann. He returned to Newcastle in the 1760s and moved to

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

around 1790. During his time in Newcastle he is presumed to have worked as a GP. In 1792 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were John Walker, James Hutton,

Andrew Dalzell Andrew Dalzell (sometimes shown as Andrew Dalzel or Andrew Dalziel) FRSE (1742–1806) was a Scottish scholar and prominent figure during the Scottish Enlightenment. In 1783 he was a co-founder of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Life He wa ...

and

Alexander Keith of Dunnottar Sir Alexander Keith of Dunnottar and Ravelston (1736–1819) was an 18th and 19th century Scottish landowner, lawyer and reformer. A co-founder of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, its Keith Medal is named in his honour. Life He was born o ...

. In 1793 he obtained a position as a part-time lecturer in chemistry and assistant to

Joseph Black Joseph Black (16 April 1728 – 6 December 1799) was a Scottish physicist and chemist, known for his discoveries of magnesium, latent heat, specific heat, and carbon dioxide. He was Professor of Anatomy and Chemistry at the University of Glas ...

at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

. He lived nearby at West Nicholson Street in Edinburgh and practiced as a physician. In 1795 he moved to the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

to replace Prof Forrest as Professor of Natural Philosophy (Physics). Prof Forrest apparently "sold" his chair to Rotherham as Forrest was keen to retire. However, Rotherham was personally recommended for the position by

Sir James Stirling, 1st Baronet Sir James Stirling, 1st Baronet of Larbert and Mansfield (c. 1740 – 17 February 1805) was a Scottish banker who served three consecutive terms as Lord Provost of Edinburgh. Life He was born in Edinburgh in 1740 or early in 1741, the son of A ...

Lord Provost of Edinburgh The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Edinburgh is the convener of the City of Edinburgh local authority, who is elected by the city council and serves not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the entire city, ex officio the ...

. He also had letters of support from eminent figures such as John Hill and

Dugald Stewart Dugald Stewart (; 22 November 175311 June 1828) was a Scottish philosopher and mathematician. Today regarded as one of the most important figures of the later Scottish Enlightenment, he was renowned as a populariser of the work of Francis Hut ...

.Academic Patronage in the Scottish Enlightenment: roger emerson He died of

apoplexy Apoplexy () is rupture of an internal organ and the accompanying symptoms. The term formerly referred to what is now called a stroke. Nowadays, health care professionals do not use the term, but instead specify the anatomic location of the bleedi ...

in St Andrews on 6 November 1804.

Publications

*''The Nature and Properties of Water'' (1770) *''Sexes of the Plants Vindicated'' (1790) *''Edinburgh New Dispensatory'' (1794)

References

1804 deaths People from Hexham Academics of the University of St Andrews Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Year of birth uncertain {{UK-botanist-stub