Shaw, Peter

, a physician of the last century, was the author of several works which enjoyed a considerable reputation in their day. His first professional publication, was entitled “New Practice of Physic,” in two volumes, and first printed in 1726: it contained a brief description of diseases and the methods of treating them, and was often reprinted, the 7th edition in 1763. His next work was an “Enquiry into the Virtues of Scarborough Spaw Waters,” which he visited during the season; it was printed in 1734-. In the same year he published also “Chymical Lectures publicly read in London 1731, 1732, and Scarborough 1733.” This was deemed a scientific and valuable work, and was translated into French. He published some minor works: “A Portable Laboratory,” 1731; “On Scurvy,” 1736; “Essays on Artificial Philosophy,” 1731 “On the Juice of the Grape,” 1724; and he edited the “Dispensatory of the College of Physicians of Edinburgh,” in 1727. Dr. Shaw was elected F. R. S. in 1755, an honour which he seems to have merited by his “Abridgment of Boyle’s Philosophical works,” 3 vols. 4to. and of “Lord Bacon’s” in the same form: he translated also Hoffman on Mineral Waters, Strahl’s Chemistry, and Boerhaave’s Elementa Chemica, in conjunction with Chambers. Notwithstanding these multifarious labours, he had an extensive share of practice, and was physician in ordinary to his present majesty, but resigned in favour of his son-in-law, Dr. Richard Warren, some time 'before his death, which happened March 15, 1763. He also left Dr. Warren his fortune. ²