Havers, Clopton

1. Dates

Born: Stambourne, Essex, c.1655 Dobson says 1657, but this seems impossible to reconcile with Havers' Cambridge career.

Died: England, 1702

Dateinfo: Birth Uncertain

Lifespan: 47

2. Father

Occupation: Cleric

Henry Havers was Rector of Stambourne. He was a nonconformist, who was ejected with the Act of Uniformity in 1662.

No information on financial status.

3. Nationality

Birth: English

Career: English

Death: English

4. Education

Schooling: Cambridge; Utrecht, M.D.

Cambridge University, Catharine Hall (St Catharine's College), 1668-71; left without degree.

The University of Utrecht; M.D., 1685.

Although I usually assume the equivalent of a B.A., the facts seem otherwise in his case.

5. Religion

Affiliation: Calvinist, Anglican

Havers' father was a non-conformist ejected in 1662. He himself studied medicine under another ejected minister. However, he must have made his peace with the established church. His father-in-law was Rector of Willingale, and Havers was buried in the church there.

6. Scientific Disciplines

Primary: Anatomy, Physiology

Subordinate: Medicine

His thesis at Utrecht was De respiratione, 1685.

Osteologia nova, 1691 (a collection of five papers delivered earlier to the Royal Society), with the first description of the microscopic structure of bones, and a discussion of the physiology of bones.

He revised the text that accompanied Remmelin's anatomical plates in 1695 and was composing the text to other anatomical plates when he died.

He contributed a medical paper to the Philosophical Transactions.

7. Means of Support

Primary: Medicine

Secondary: Scientific Society

Medical practice, 1684-1702, and though it is not documented surely during the years 1681-84 also. His practice was in London after 1687.

Havers was the Gale lecturer on anatomy to the Company of Surgeons beginning in 1698. This involved a modest stipend of 30s (I think this must be for each lecture).

8. Patronage

Type: Aristrocrat

He dedicated Osteologia nova to the Earl of Pembroke, President of the Royal Society.

9. Technological Involvement

Type: Medical Practice

10. Scientific Societies

Memberships: Royal Society, Medical College

Informal Connections: Revised John Ireton's English text for John Remmelin's anatomical plates in 1695.

Contracted to write an English text for Stephan Blankaart's anatomical plates.

Royal Society, 1686-1702.

Granted an extra license in 1684 and a full license in 1687 by the Royal College of Physicians.

Sources

1. Jones Quain, Elements of Anatomy, 5th ed. (London 1848), p. cxxxii.
2. A review of Osteologia nova, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, 17, No. 194 (1693), 544-54.
3. Dictionary of National Biography (repr., London: Oxford University Press, 1949-50), 9, 182. Jesse Dobson, "Pioneers of Osteogeny: Clopton Havers," Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 34B (1952), 702-7.
4. William Munk, The Roll of the Royal College of Physicians of London, 2nd ed., 3 vols. (London, 1878), 1, 477.

Not Available and Not Consulted

1. C.B. Reed, on Havers, Bulletin of the Society of Medical History, 2 no.5 (1922), 371-88. DSB lists this article, but I cannot find such a journal.

Compiled by:

Richard S. Westfall

Department of History and Philosophy of Science

Indiana University

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