Popular Lectures on Zoonomia: Or The Laws of Animal Life, in Health and Disease — John Shaqi
Popular Lectures on Zoonomia: Or The Laws of Animal Life, in Health and DiseaseGarnett, Thomas
Science
Popular Lectures on Zoonomia: Or The Laws of Animal Life, in Health and Disease
Garnett, Thomas
Physiology
With this intention, he purchased the lease of a house in Great
Marlborough Street; and in the summer of 1801, built a lecture room.
He brought his family to town, and once more looked forward with
hope. The flattering success he soon met with, and a short residence
at Harrowgate in the autumn, contributed to afford a temporary
renovation of health and spirits; it was, however, but a short and
delusive gleam of prosperity which now dawned upon him; for,
confiding too much in his newly increased strength, he exerted
himself to a much greater degree than prudence would have suggested.
In the course of the following winter, he delivered not less than
eight courses of lectures, two on chemistry, two on experimental
philosophy, a private course on the same subject, one on mineralogy,
and the course to which this sketch is prefixed, which he also
delivered in an apartment at Tom's Coffee house, for the convenience
of medical students, and others, in the city. Besides these, he
commenced two courses on botany, one at Brompton, and the other at
his own house; but a return of ill health prevented his concluding
them. It was not to be expected, that a constitution so impaired and
debilitated, could long support this continued labour of composition
and recitation; accordingly he became affected with a consequent
disorder, which rapidly exhausted his strength; and, being unable to
employ the only probable means of recovering it, he became more
incapable of exertion. His spirits however were roused, and he ceased
not to use every means of increasing his practice. In the spring of
1802, the office of physician to the St. Mary le Bonne Dispensary
happened to be vacant, and he became a candidate; he was more than
commonly anxious to obtain this situation. It seemed to him, as if
his future good or ill fortune depended altogether upon the event of
his canvass, he spared no effort to ensure his success; and
accordingly was appointed to the situation in May. His life now drew
near a close. Little was he calculated to bear the accumulated
labours, and extreme fatigue, to which he was daily exposed. Any
benefit which might have resulted from constant and well regulated
occupation was frustrated; for whilst he still suffered from the
vividness of his conception, representing to him in mournful colours
the occurrences of his past life, he became liable to other evils,
not less injurious and destructive. The practice of medicine requires
both vigorous health of body and firmness of mind. Dr. Garnett, now
greatly weakened in body, and not exempt from anxiety of mind, became
more and more susceptible to the action of morbific matter. It was
not long before he received the contagion of typhous fever, whilst
attending a patient, belonging to that very dispensary of which he
had been so anxious to become physician. He laboured under the
disorder for two or three weeks, and died the 28th of June, 1802; and
was buried in the new burial ground of the parish of St. James,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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