Richard Warren (1731–1797) was an English physician and society doctor.

Early life

Born at

Cavendish, Suffolk Cavendish is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the River Stour, Suffolk, Stour Valley in Suffolk, England. History It is believed that Cavendish is called so because a man called Cafa once owned an ''eddish'' (pasture ...

on 4 December 1731, he was the third son of Dr. Richard Warren (1681–1748),

archdeacon of Suffolk The Archdeacon of Suffolk is a senior cleric in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. The archdeacon is responsible for the disciplinary supervision of the clergy in the territory of the archdeaconry. History Originally in the Dioceses of No ...

and rector of Cavendish, by his wife Priscilla (died 1774), daughter of John Fenner; he was the younger brother of

John Warren John Warren may refer to: Medicine * John Warren (surgeon) (1753–1815), American surgeon during the Revolutionary War * John Collins Warren (1778–1856), American surgeon * John Collins Warren Jr. (1842–1927), American surgeon, son of John C ...

the bishop. He was educated at Bury St. Edmunds grammar school.

Education

Warren entered

Jesus College, Cambridge Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's full name is The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the glorious Virgin Saint Radegund, near Cambridge. Its common name comes fr ...

in 1748, shortly after the death of his father. There he graduated B.A. as fourth wrangler in 1752, and was elected a fellow of the college. He proceeded M.A. in 1755 and M.D. on 3 July 1762. On obtaining a fellowship his inclination directed him to the law, chance made him a physician. At Jesus he was tutor to the son of Peter Shaw, physician

in ordinary ''In ordinary'' is an English phrase with multiple meanings. In relation to the Royal Household, it indicates that a position is a permanent one. In naval matters, vessels "in ordinary" (from the 17th century) are those out of service for repair o ...

to George II and George III, and in 1763 succeeded to the practice of Shaw, by then his father-in-law.

Career

On 5 August 1756, having at that time a license ''ad practicandum'' from the university of Cambridge, Warren was elected a physician to the

Middlesex Hospital Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, England. First opened as the Middlesex Infirmary in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally clos ...

, and on 21 January 1760 he became physician to

St. George's Hospital St George's Hospital is a large teaching hospital in Tooting, London. Founded in 1733, it is one of the UK's largest teaching hospitals and one of the largest hospitals in Europe. It is run by the St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundatio ...

. The former appointment he resigned in November 1758, the latter in May 1766. Warren 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 1762. Sir Edward Wilmot, then physician to the court, recommended Warren to assist him in attending on Princess Amelia. When Wilmot retired, Warren continued to act as physician to the princess, and then by her influence he was appointed physician to the king on the resignation of Shaw. He was elected a Fellow of the College of Physicians on 3 March 1763. He delivered the

Gulstonian lectures The Goulstonian Lectures are an annual lecture series given on behalf of the Royal College of Physicians in London. They began in 1639. The lectures are named for Theodore Goulston (or Gulston, died 1632), who founded them with a bequest A beque ...

at the College in 1764 and 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 ...

in 1768. He acted as censor in 1764, 1776, and 1782. On 9 August 1784 he was named an elect. He became a Fellow of the

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

in 1764. In 1787 Warren was appointed physician to the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

, who sent him to attend the king during his first period of 'madness' in 1788–89. His medical career then brought financial rewards not previously seen in England. He died at his house in

Dover Street Dover Street is a street in Mayfair, London. The street is notable for its Georgian architecture as well as the location of historic London clubs and hotels, which have been frequented by world leaders and historic figures in the arts. It also ...

on 22 June 1797. He was buried in Kensington parish church on 30 June 1797.

Elizabeth Inchbald Elizabeth Inchbald (née Simpson, 15 October 1753 – 1 August 1821) was an English novelist, actress, dramatist, and translator. Her two novels, '' A Simple Story'' and '' Nature and Art'', have received particular critical attention. Life Bo ...

composed mourning verses to his memory.

Works

Warren's paper on bronchial polypus, and an essay on the ''Colica Pictonum'', were published in the ''Transactions'' of the College of Physicians. His Latin Harveian oration was also published, in 1769.

Personal life

Warren married Elizabeth Shaw, daughter of Peter Shaw, in 1759. He died leaving her as widow, eight sons, and two daughters. The sons included

Frederick Warren Frederick Warren (March 1775 – 22 March 1848) was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and the Gunboat War, rising to the rank of vice-admiral. Life Born in March 1775, he was son of ...

, rear-admiral, and Pelham Warren the physician. Warren bequeathed to his family over £150,000.

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Warren, Richard 1731 births 1797 deaths 18th-century English medical doctors Fellows of the Royal Society Fellows of Jesus College, Cambridge Physicians-in-Ordinary