Heberden (Dr Thomas)
Original title: Heberden (Dr. Thomas)
Thomas Heberden was an English physician in Funchal who served in the 1751 measles epidemic, made the island's first weather observations (1747–51) and aided Banks and Solander.
He was the brother of the well-known William Heberden and practised medicine in Funchal, where he rendered excellent service during the measles epidemic of 1751. When Joseph Banks and Dr Daniel Solander visited Madeira in 1768, he supplied them with many natural history specimens, as well as a copy of his observations on the island’s flora. The two naturalists named the genus Heberdenia after him; Aiton later merged it into the genus Ardisia. The meteorological observations made by Dr Herberden in Funchal from 1747 to 1751 were the first carried out on this island, and they were published in vol. X of the Philosophical Transactions.
Dr Heberden also made some astronomical studies in Madeira, and a work of his appeared in the Philosophical Transactions under the following title: Observations of immersions and emersions of Jupiter's first Satellite made at Funchal, in Madeira, 1763-1768. See Diseases and Epidemics.
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 04-
Dr Thomas Heberden made the first meteorological observations in Madeira, at Funchal.
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A measles epidemic caused notable mortality in Madeira; Dr Thomas Heberden gave excellent service during it in Funchal.
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Dr Thomas Heberden observed Jupiter's first satellite at Funchal.
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Cook's Endeavour expedition lay at Funchal before sailing for Rio de Janeiro; Banks and Solander collected plants and the astronomer Green visited Madeira.
Place
Places mentioned · 01
- Funchal
Where Heberden practised and made his observations.
The capital of the archipelago and seat of the principal captaincy, where settlement began; it was made a vila c.1451–52. Its bay, the widest in the archipelago, lies between Ponta do Garajau and Ponta da Cruz and offers sheltered anchorage, though its harbour had never been studied oceanographically. The Elucidário discusses it as a health resort with climate data and records the January 1906 disturbances, the Danish prince's visit in May 1846 and recent volcanic cones in the area.
People
People mentioned · 05-
Physician in Funchal who made Madeira's first meteorological observations and gave specimens to Banks and Solander.
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Botanist who merged Heberdenia into Ardisia.
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Naturalist who visited Madeira in 1768 with Banks and named the genus Heberdenia.
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Naturalist who visited Madeira in 1768 and received specimens from Heberden.
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Well-known brother of Thomas Heberden.