John Woodward. Mezzotint by W. Humphrey.

John Woodward was a physician, antiquary and natural historian, with a special interest in the meaning of fossils. He was professor of physic at Gresham College from 1692, Fellow of the Royal Society from 1693, and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians from 1702/1703. He published "An essay toward a natural history of the earth", 1695, in which he called fossils "real spoils of once living animals"; a paper "Some thoughts and experiments concerning vegetation", 1697; and "The state of physic", 1718. According to the Dictionary of National Biography, he attacked the work of Dr John Freind, was assaulted by Dr Richard Mead at the entrance to Gresham College, and insulted Sir Hans Sloane at a council meeting of the Royal Society