William Frederick Chambers
Encyclopedia
William Frederick Chambers MD (1786–1855) was a British physician.
Chambers was the eldest son of William Chambers, a political servant of the East India Company, and a distinguished oriental scholar, who died in 1793, by his marriage with Charity, daughter of Thomas Fraser, of Balmain, Inverness-shire. Sir Robert Chambers
(1737–1803) was his uncle.
He was born in India in 1786, came to England in 1793, was educated at Bath grammar school and at Westminster School
; from the latter foundation was elected to a scholarship at Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he graduated B.A. 1808, M.A. 1811, M.D. 1818. On leaving Cambridge he studied for the profession he had chosen at St. George's Hospital, the Windmill Street School of Medicine, and at Edinburgh. He was an inceptor candidate of the Royal College of Physicians
, London, 22 Dec. 1813, a candidate 30 Sept. 1818, a fellow 30 Sept. 1819, censor 1822 and 1836, consiliarius 1836, 1841, and 1845, and an elect in 1847.
On 20 April 1816 he was elected physician to St. George's Hospital, though the youngest of the candidates, and held the post until 1839; during that period he delivered a course of lectures on practical medicine, a report of which was printed in the Medical Gazette. For some time his private practice did not increase, and in 1820 his receipts were only about 200l.; however, from that year a change took place, until at last he attained that standing in the profession in which a physician monopolises the greater part of the consulting practice among the upper classes.
He was gazetted physician in ordinary to Queen Adelaide
25 Oct. 1836, and physician in ordinary to William IV
on 4 May 1837. Ernest, the new king of Hanover, on 8 Aug. 1837 created him K.C.H.; but at his urgent request allowed him to decline the assumption of the ordinary prefix of knighthood. In the succeeding reign he became physician in ordinary to Queen Victoria on 8 Aug. 1837, and to the Duchess of Kent
in 1839.
He continued to be the leading physician in London, with an income of from seven to nine thousand guineas a year, until 1848, when bad health obliged him to retire into private life. Shortly after he had given up the practice of his profession a notice of his death appeared in a medical journal, and was contradicted by himself. In 1834 a poisoned wound, obtained in a post-mortem examination, had nearly cost him his life, and from its effects he never fully recovered. On his retirement he took up his residence on his estate at Hordlecliffe, near Lymington, Hampshire, where he died of paralysis on 16 Dec. 1855.
His success in practice depended mainly on the clear insight which he gained into all the bearings of a case by habituating himself to place all the facts before him in the order of their importance, with reference to present symptoms and immediate treatment required. His constant habit of taking notes of cases coming before him gave his mind a compactness and clearness in summing up facts which was the parent of practical views in theory and successful decision in action.
On 13 March 1828 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society
. His only contribution to literature was a series of papers on cholera, printed in the Lancet on 10 and 17 Feb. and 3 March 1849.
He married, 10 Feb. 1821, Mary, daughter of William Mackinen Fraser, M.D., of Lower Grosvenor Street, London. His manuscripts of cases in St. George's Hospital, 1814–28, in ten volumes folio, are preserved in the library of the Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society.
Chambers was the eldest son of William Chambers, a political servant of the East India Company, and a distinguished oriental scholar, who died in 1793, by his marriage with Charity, daughter of Thomas Fraser, of Balmain, Inverness-shire. Sir Robert Chambers
Robert Chambers (judge)
Sir Robert Chambers , was a jurist, Vinerian Professor of English Law, and Chief Justice of Bengal.-Biography:...
(1737–1803) was his uncle.
He was born in India in 1786, came to England in 1793, was educated at Bath grammar school and at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
; from the latter foundation was elected to a scholarship at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, where he graduated B.A. 1808, M.A. 1811, M.D. 1818. On leaving Cambridge he studied for the profession he had chosen at St. George's Hospital, the Windmill Street School of Medicine, and at Edinburgh. He was an inceptor candidate of the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
, London, 22 Dec. 1813, a candidate 30 Sept. 1818, a fellow 30 Sept. 1819, censor 1822 and 1836, consiliarius 1836, 1841, and 1845, and an elect in 1847.
On 20 April 1816 he was elected physician to St. George's Hospital, though the youngest of the candidates, and held the post until 1839; during that period he delivered a course of lectures on practical medicine, a report of which was printed in the Medical Gazette. For some time his private practice did not increase, and in 1820 his receipts were only about 200l.; however, from that year a change took place, until at last he attained that standing in the profession in which a physician monopolises the greater part of the consulting practice among the upper classes.
He was gazetted physician in ordinary to Queen Adelaide
Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen
Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and of Hanover as spouse of William IV of the United Kingdom. Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, is named after her.-Early life:Adelaide was born on 13 August 1792 at Meiningen, Thuringia, Germany...
25 Oct. 1836, and physician in ordinary to William IV
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
on 4 May 1837. Ernest, the new king of Hanover, on 8 Aug. 1837 created him K.C.H.; but at his urgent request allowed him to decline the assumption of the ordinary prefix of knighthood. In the succeeding reign he became physician in ordinary to Queen Victoria on 8 Aug. 1837, and to the Duchess of Kent
Duchess of Kent
The Duchess of Kent is the title given to the wife of the Duke of Kent.Five women have held the title:* Jemima , daughter of Thomas Crewe, 2nd Baron Crewe, first wife of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent...
in 1839.
He continued to be the leading physician in London, with an income of from seven to nine thousand guineas a year, until 1848, when bad health obliged him to retire into private life. Shortly after he had given up the practice of his profession a notice of his death appeared in a medical journal, and was contradicted by himself. In 1834 a poisoned wound, obtained in a post-mortem examination, had nearly cost him his life, and from its effects he never fully recovered. On his retirement he took up his residence on his estate at Hordlecliffe, near Lymington, Hampshire, where he died of paralysis on 16 Dec. 1855.
His success in practice depended mainly on the clear insight which he gained into all the bearings of a case by habituating himself to place all the facts before him in the order of their importance, with reference to present symptoms and immediate treatment required. His constant habit of taking notes of cases coming before him gave his mind a compactness and clearness in summing up facts which was the parent of practical views in theory and successful decision in action.
On 13 March 1828 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
. His only contribution to literature was a series of papers on cholera, printed in the Lancet on 10 and 17 Feb. and 3 March 1849.
He married, 10 Feb. 1821, Mary, daughter of William Mackinen Fraser, M.D., of Lower Grosvenor Street, London. His manuscripts of cases in St. George's Hospital, 1814–28, in ten volumes folio, are preserved in the library of the Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society.