Thomas Sydenham

son of Will. Sydenham of Winford Eagle in Dorsetsh. Esq. was born there, became a Communer of Magd. Hall in Midsomer term, an. 1642. aged 18 years or thereabouts, left Oxon while it was a Garrison for his Majesties use, and did not bear Arms for him as other Scholars then and there did, went to London, fell accidentally into the company of a noted Physitian called Dr. Tho. Cox, who finding him to be a person of more than ordinary parts, encourag’d and put him into a method to study Physick at his return to the University. After the said Garrison was delivered to the Parliament Forces he retired again to Magd. Hall, entred on the Physick Line, was actually created Bachelaur of that faculty in the Pembrockian Creation, in Apr. 1648, having not before taken any degree in Arts; and about that time subscribing and submitting to the authority of the Visitors appointed by Parliament, he was, thro the endeavours of a near relation, made by them Fellow of Alls. Coll, in the place of one of those many then ejected for their Loyalty. After he had continued for some years there in the zealous prosecution of that Faculty, he left the University without the taking of any other degree there; and at length setled in Westminster, became Doctor of his Faculty at Cambridge, an exact observer of diseases and their Symptoms, famous for his practice, the chief Physitian from 1660 to 1670, and in his last dayes Licentiat or Permissus of the College of Physitians. He was a person of a florid stile, of a generous and publick Spirit, very charitable and was more famous, especially beyond the Seas, for his published books, then before he had been for his practice, which was much lessened after the year 1670, when then he was laid up with the terrible disease of the Gout. He was famous for his cool regimen in the Small-pox, which his greatest Adversaries have been since forc’d to take up and follow. He was also famous for his method of giving the Bark after the Paroxysm in Agues, and for his Laudanum. He hath written,

Methodus curandi febres propriis observationinibus superstructa, &c. cui etiam accessit sectio quinta de Peste sive morbo pestilentiali. Lond. 1668. oct, sec. edit. more large and corrected than the former.

Observationes Medicae circa morborum acutorum historiam & curationem. Lond. 1676. 85. oct, with his picture before them. An account of these Observat. are in the Philos. Transact. nu. 123. p. 568, and a just character in Dr. W. Cole’s Epist. to our author, printed with Dissert. Epist. following.

Epistolae responsoriae duae. Prima de morbis epidemicis ab an. 1675. ad an. 1680. Written to Rob. Brady Doct. of Physick, Master or Head of Caies Coll. in Cambr. and the Kings Professor of Phys. there. Secunda de Luis venereae historia & curatione. Written to Henry Paman Doct. of Physick, Fell. of S. Joh. Coll. in Camb, Pub. Orator of that Univ, and Professor of Phys. in Gresham Coll. Both these Epistles were printed at Lond. 1680. and 85. oct. with two short Epistles set before them written by the said Doctors, Brady and Paman, which our author answers.

Dissertatio Epistolaris ad Spectatiss. & doctiss. virum Guliel. Cole M. D. de observationibus nuperis circa curationem variolarum confluentiam, necnon de affectione hysterica. Lond. 1682. 85. oct. The three last books were reprinted at Amsterdam, 1683. oct. with several corrections in them.

Tractatus de Podagrâ & Hydrope. Lond. 1683, 85. oct. All which books were reprinted at Lond. 1685. with an useful index.

Schedula monitoria de novae febris ingressu, Lond. 1686. oct. This learned Doctor died in his house in the Pallmall in the Suburbs of Westm. on the 29. of Decemb. in sixteen hundred eighty and nine,1689. and was buried in the South Isle near to the S. door of the Church of S. James there. He had an elder brother named William Sydenham an active man in the Rebellion against K. Ch. 1. was a Colonel of Horse and Foot, Governor ((*))((*)) Mystery of the Good Old Cause briefly unfolded, &c. Lond. 1660. oct. p. 30.31. of Weymouth and Melcomb Regis, and Commander in chief in Dorsetshire; afterward one of O. Cromwells Council and a Lord of his other House, had a great command in the Isle of Wight, was one of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, a great Rumper, and one of the Committee of Safety, &c.