William Brownrigg
Encyclopedia
William Brownrigg M.D. F.R.S. (24 March 1711–1800) was a doctor and scientist, who practised at Whitehaven
in Cumberland
. While there, William Brownrigg carried out experiments that won him not only a place in The Royal Society but the prized Copley Medal
.
.
William was educated in Latin and Greek by a local clergyman from the age of 13 and by the age of 15 was apprenticed to an apothecary in Carlisle. Then followed two years studying under a surgeon in London before going to Leiden
where he studied under Boerhaave, s' Gravesande, von Royen and Albinus. He graduated in 1737 with his thesis "De Praxi Medica Ineunda" - about the environment where the clinician practices medicine.
.
In 1741, Brownrigg married Mary Spedding. Mary's father and uncle ran the collieries for James Lowther, whose family had developed Whitehaven into a major seaport. This increased William's local influence and also promoted his interest in the health and welfare of the miners.
Later in 1771, with the threat of an epidemic from Europe, Brownrigg who had studied the subject from outbreaks of typhus
at Whitehaven, published a paper "Considerations on the means of pestilential contagion, and of Eradicating it in Infected Places."
) and choke damp (oxygen depleted air). Carlisle Spedding helped to build a laboratory for Brownrigg and fed it with gases from a nearby coal mine through lead pipes. Brownrigg developed methods of collecting and transferring the gases and supplied James Lowther
with gas filled bladders to show to The Royal Society which then elected Brownrigg as a Fellow.
His experiments on gases continued and after visiting a spa resort in Germany he became interested in gases to be found in mineral waters. A paper he published entitled "Experimental inquiry concerning the nature of the mineral elastic spirit or air contained in the Pouhon water, and other acidulae" earned him the prestigious Copley Medal in 1766.
, had brought samples of platinum
back from Jamaica
. Brownrigg wrote up Wood's experiments and did some of his own. He was the first to recognise it as a new element and brought the new metal to the attention of The Royal Society stressing its possible importance and the need for more investigation.
was on a tour of Britain with Sir John Pringle
who advised him to visit William Brownrigg. Franklin stayed at Brownrigg's home of Ormathwaite in the Lake District and was presented with a signed copy of his book on salt. Franklin demonstrated his experiment of adding oil to the water surface of Derwent Water
to calm the waves. He later corresponded with Brownrigg on the subject leading to another paper for The Royal Society's transactions.
from Whitehaven in 1765 to develop the iron industry in Wales which led to the expansion of Merthyr Tydfil
, particularly the Cyfarthfa Ironworks
. He also inherited a share of John Speddings ropery and invested in the Keswick Turnpike Trust.
With his retirement to Ormathwaite, he became interested in improving the local agriculture, made a study of minerals, and encouraged Father Thomas West
to write A Guide to the Lakes, the first guide book to the Lake District. He had several society positions including magistrate, Patent searcher at Port Carlisle and Receiver General of Government Taxes for Cumberland and Westmorland
.
Brownrigg died in 1800 and was buried at Crosthwaite church where his coffin was carried by three baronets and other local gentry. His friend and biographer Dr. Joshua Dixon felt that his importance and abilities had been overlooked due to his modesty and reluctance to leave his home county of Cumberland in later life.
Whitehaven
Whitehaven is a small town and port on the coast of Cumbria, England, which lies equidistant between the county's two largest settlements, Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, and is served by the Cumbrian Coast Line and the A595 road...
in Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
. While there, William Brownrigg carried out experiments that won him not only a place in The Royal Society but the prized Copley Medal
Copley Medal
The Copley Medal is an award given by the Royal Society of London for "outstanding achievements in research in any branch of science, and alternates between the physical sciences and the biological sciences"...
.
Early life and education
He was born at High Close Hall, the son of local gentry, George Brownrigg. William's mother, Mary Brownrigg, was from IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
William was educated in Latin and Greek by a local clergyman from the age of 13 and by the age of 15 was apprenticed to an apothecary in Carlisle. Then followed two years studying under a surgeon in London before going to Leiden
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
where he studied under Boerhaave, s' Gravesande, von Royen and Albinus. He graduated in 1737 with his thesis "De Praxi Medica Ineunda" - about the environment where the clinician practices medicine.
Medical career
Brownrigg returned to England and took up medicine with an established doctor called Richard Senhouse in Whitehaven. Senhouse died soon after, making Brownrigg the principal doctor in the area for many years to come. His casebook survives and was recently transcribed. It contains descriptions of his patients and remedies and some of the earliest English references to puerperal feverPuerperal fever
Puerperal fever or childbed fever, is a bacterial infection contracted by women during childbirth or miscarriage. It can develop into puerperal sepsis, which is a serious form of septicaemia. If untreated, it is often fatal....
.
In 1741, Brownrigg married Mary Spedding. Mary's father and uncle ran the collieries for James Lowther, whose family had developed Whitehaven into a major seaport. This increased William's local influence and also promoted his interest in the health and welfare of the miners.
Later in 1771, with the threat of an epidemic from Europe, Brownrigg who had studied the subject from outbreaks of typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
at Whitehaven, published a paper "Considerations on the means of pestilential contagion, and of Eradicating it in Infected Places."
Scientist
His medical interest led him to investigate the gases the miners breathed - fire damp (methaneMethane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
) and choke damp (oxygen depleted air). Carlisle Spedding helped to build a laboratory for Brownrigg and fed it with gases from a nearby coal mine through lead pipes. Brownrigg developed methods of collecting and transferring the gases and supplied James Lowther
Sir James Lowther, 4th Baronet
Sir James Lowther, 4th Baronet, FRS was an English landowner, politician and industrialist. He obtained immense wealth from coal mines in northern England, which he extensively developed and modernised.-Early life:...
with gas filled bladders to show to The Royal Society which then elected Brownrigg as a Fellow.
His experiments on gases continued and after visiting a spa resort in Germany he became interested in gases to be found in mineral waters. A paper he published entitled "Experimental inquiry concerning the nature of the mineral elastic spirit or air contained in the Pouhon water, and other acidulae" earned him the prestigious Copley Medal in 1766.
Discovery of platinum
Brownrigg's relative, Charles WoodCharles Wood (ironmaster)
Charles Wood was an ironmaster and one of the inventors of the potting and stamping method of making wrought iron from pig iron.-Parents:...
, had brought samples of platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
back from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. Brownrigg wrote up Wood's experiments and did some of his own. He was the first to recognise it as a new element and brought the new metal to the attention of The Royal Society stressing its possible importance and the need for more investigation.
Salt manufacture
Brownrigg also produced a major treatise on salt manufacture. He hoped that improved domestic production could make Britain self-sufficient in this valuable resource thereby improving the fishing industry and economy both in Britain and America.Franklin
In 1771 Benjamin FranklinBenjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
was on a tour of Britain with Sir John Pringle
John Pringle
Sir John Pringle, 1st Baronet, FRS was a Scottish physician who has been called the "father of military medicine" ....
who advised him to visit William Brownrigg. Franklin stayed at Brownrigg's home of Ormathwaite in the Lake District and was presented with a signed copy of his book on salt. Franklin demonstrated his experiment of adding oil to the water surface of Derwent Water
Derwent Water
Derwentwater is one of the principal bodies of water in the Lake District National Park in north west England. It lies wholly within the Borough of Allerdale, in the county of Cumbria....
to calm the waves. He later corresponded with Brownrigg on the subject leading to another paper for The Royal Society's transactions.
Other interests
Brownrigg was a businessman as well as a doctor and scientist. He went into partnership with Anthony BaconAnthony Bacon (industrialist)
Anthony Bacon was an English-born merchant and industrialist who was significantly responsible for the emergence of Merthyr Tydfil as the iron-smelting centre of Britain.-Background:...
from Whitehaven in 1765 to develop the iron industry in Wales which led to the expansion of Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
, particularly the Cyfarthfa Ironworks
Cyfarthfa Ironworks
The Cyfarthfa Ironworks was a major 18th century and 19th century ironworks located in Cyfarthfa, on the north-western edge of Merthyr Tydfil, in South Wales.-The beginning:...
. He also inherited a share of John Speddings ropery and invested in the Keswick Turnpike Trust.
With his retirement to Ormathwaite, he became interested in improving the local agriculture, made a study of minerals, and encouraged Father Thomas West
Thomas West (clergyman)
Thomas West was a Jesuit priest, antiquary and author, significant in being one of the first to write about the attractions of the Lake District...
to write A Guide to the Lakes, the first guide book to the Lake District. He had several society positions including magistrate, Patent searcher at Port Carlisle and Receiver General of Government Taxes for Cumberland and Westmorland
Westmorland
Westmorland is an area of North West England and one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974, after which the entirety of the county was absorbed into the new county of Cumbria.-Early history:...
.
Brownrigg died in 1800 and was buried at Crosthwaite church where his coffin was carried by three baronets and other local gentry. His friend and biographer Dr. Joshua Dixon felt that his importance and abilities had been overlooked due to his modesty and reluctance to leave his home county of Cumberland in later life.