Baker, Sir George (1722-1809)

Two autograph letters, one is dated 14 Dec 1769 and addressed to Mr Beckett, bookseller, the Strand, London, concerning the sixth volume of Haller's Elementa Physiologie Corposis Humani(8654/1). The second letter concerns a Miss Heathcote and is signed Jermyn Street 10th Sep 1772 (8654/2). The third letter is to the Lord of H.M. Bedchamber-in-waiting at St. James, Kew House, dated the 22 Dec 1788, concerning H.M's (George III) illness. It is co-signed by L. Pepys, F. Willis and "a true copy" by Roxburgh (8654/3). There is also a single page of verse (8654/4)and 7 photostat negatives of all the aforementioned (8654/5). (In total: 3 letters, 1 verse and 7 photostat negatives).

1769-1772

1 file

Purchased from Stevens, London, September 1930 (acc.56566), Purchased from Stevens, London, March 1931 (acc.68130), Transferred from Wellcome Historical Medical Museum, c.1939 (acc.91800).

Sir George Baker (1722-1809) was first physician to King George III and Queen Caroline from 1776 onwards. Baker was born in Devonshire, the son of Rev. George Baker and studied at King's College, Cambridge. He completed his M.D. in 1756 and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians the following year. In 1761 he moved to London and was elected to be President of the College for several consecutive terms from 1785-1795. During this time he was appointed as the Royal Physican and became a Baronet in 1776. Amongst other things he was a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Society of Antiquaries. He is known as the 'discoverer of the pathogenensis of Devonshire Cholic', a disease endemic to his county.

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