Doctors of Samuel Johnson and his court / by James P. Warbasse.

  • James Peter Warbasse
Date:
1908
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Doctors of Samuel Johnson and his court / by James P. Warbasse. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    things that liad immediate utility. His great success in acquiring a large practice was due to his devotion to the practical. He ignored tradition, which played so important a part in medical practice and was guided by his own common sense, combined with a smattering of medical learning and a natural gift of observation and insight. Radcliffe began practice at Oxford, but soon moved to London where he developed an immense clientele. He became physician to Queen Anne, whom he offended by telling when she thought that she was sick, that she was in as good health as any woman breathing. He refused to become physician to King William on account of political principles, though the King con- tinued to consult him. When called to see the dropsical William the Second, he told him that he would not have his Majesty’s two legs for his three kingdoms, and William dismissed him. Radcliffe arose to a high position in his profession because of his shrewd j)enetration and e.xperience rather than because of his learning. He was independent and original. He attended Queen Mary in her last illness (smallpo.x), and was blamed because she did not recover. He was also blamed for not sav- ing the life of Queen .\nne whom he did not attend. 11 is ne.xt door neighbor was the arti.st. Sir Godfrey Kneller, with whom he (juarreled over a partition gate. He notified Sir Godfrey that “he might do anything he pleased with the gate so that he did but refrain from ])ainting it,” to which Sir God- frey rej)lied that he “could take anything from Radcliffe but his physick.’’ Radcliffe was a man whose life was not an inspiration for the best in the practice (jf medicine, yet he was eminently suc- cessful from a business standpoint. He was not a man of learn- ing yet he made great bequests to Oxford Universities, founding the Radcliffe Library, the Radcliffe Infirmary, the Radcliffe Observatory, and the Radcliffe Traveling Fellowships. Garth said, “for Radcliffe to found a library was as if an eunuch .should found a .seraglio.’’ He was distinguished for his many acts of bounty, and his great sagacity. Retiring from the practice of medicine in his old age he was elected to Parliament, but declined to be made a knight. Upoti his death he was buried at Oxford. It was fitting that he should be laid to rest surrounded by that classic city embellished hy so many institutions bearing his name.