William Charles Wells (1757–1817)

American-born physician. Born in South Carolina, of Scottish parents, and educated in Scotland, 1768–71. Elected assistant physician to St Thomas’s Hospital, London, 1795; physician, 1800–17. Awarded the Rumford Medal of the Royal Society for his "Essay on dew" (1814). Wrote An account of a female of the white race of mankind, part of whose skin resembles that of a negro (1818), which has been thought to anticipate CD’s theory. FRS 1793.