William Cheselden ( 1688 - 1752 )

Birth: Burrough, in Somerby parish, Leicestershire, England (19 October 1688) Death: Bath, Somerset (10 April 1752) Burial: The grounds of Chelsea hospital Profession: Surgeon Education: Apprenticed to Mr Wilkes of Leicester, later to William Cowper of London (1703) and Mr Ferne, surgeon to St Thomas's Hospital Career: Lecturer on Anatomy (1711); Surgeon in Colonel Pocock's Regiment (1717); Assistant Surgeon (1718), then Principal Surgeon (1719-1738), St Thomas's Hospital, London; Surgeon (1724-1733), then Consulting Surgeon (1733-1739), Westminster Hospital; devised new operations for the stone (one of which he performed in 54 seconds) and for cataract; the most celebrated surgeon and anatomist in England, many foreign doctors came to see him operate; John Douglas (FRS 1720) accused him unjustly of plagiarism in his 'Treatise on the high operation for the stone'; attended Sir Isaac Newton (FRS 1672) on his deathbed; Surgeon to Queen Caroline (1727); Surgeon (1733-1737), then Consulting Surgeon (1737), St George's Hospital, London; Surgeon, Chelsea Hospital (1737) Memberships: Company of Barber-Surgeons; Academie Royale des Sciences (Corresponding, 1729); Royal Academy of Surgery, Paris (first foreign associate) Membership: Fellow Election Date: 30/11/1711.