Person    | Male  Born 1744  Died 1815

Dr John Lettsom

Categories: Medicine, Philanthropy, Race Issues

Countries: Virgin Islands

Physician, philanthropist, abolitionist and entomologist. Born British Virgin Islands into a Quaker family. Aged 6 was sent to England to be educated. Came to London in 1766 to train at St Thomas' Hospital. Founder of the Medical Society of London of which he was president on and off, 1775 - 1815.

He signed his prescriptions “I” which prompted this rhyme (of which there are some variant versions):

When patients ill, they comes to I,
I physicks, bleeds and sweats ‘em:
Sometimes they live, sometimes they die,
What’s that to I? I Lettsom.

A noted abolitionist, on the death of his father he returned to the Virgin Islands where he freed the slaves he had inherited. But later, his son, through a wealthy marriage back in the Virgin Islands, brought slaves back into the family and Lettsom inherited them shortly before he died. Thus he died with 1,000 slaves in his estate. He had some explaining to do at the pearly gates.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Dr John Lettsom

Commemorated ati

Dr John Lettsom's house

{On a modern information plaque at the foot of this edifice:} Stonework from...

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Medical Society and Lettsom

Site of the Medical Society of London 1787 - 1850 gifted by a founder, John C...

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Other Subjects

Human BSE Foundation

Human BSE Foundation

The Human BSE Foundation website seems to have moved and we cannot locate it.

Group, Medicine

1 memorial
Herb Garret

Herb Garret

Area in the roof of St Thomas Apostle Church where the apothecaries of St Thomas's hospital stored and cured herbs for medicinal purposes. It is open to the public on most days from 10.30 am to 5 pm.

Place, Medicine

1 memorial
Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson

Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson

Scholar and Humanist. Born at Langham Chambers, near Oxford Circus. Although qualified as a doctor, he decided to follow an academic career. He lectured at Cambridge and in 1896 published 'The Gree...

Person, Medicine, Philosophy

1 memorial
Guy's John Fry Group

Guy's John Fry Group

This is possibly the same group of Guy's alumni who gather each October for a lunch to celebrate the life and work of Doctor John Fry.

Group, Community / Clubs, History, Medicine

1 memorial
James Lind

James Lind

Born Edinburgh. Specialised in medical treatment for the navy and in treating scurvy.Not to be confused with another Scots medical John Lind, born 20 years later.

Person, Armed Forces, Medicine, Scotland

1 memorial