The early history of paediatrics in Britain : written for the Wellcome Medal in History of Medicine

Abstract

It is proposed in this essay to consider paedia- trics largely as a specialised branch of medicine, but at the same time to pass in brief review infant and child life from early times, as there are many things in the cultural and secular history of Britain which are of considerable moment in the history of paediatrics in our country. For this purpose it is convenient to divide the history into periods, viz.:

First Period - Earliest Times to 1539

Second Period - 1540 to 1639

Third Period - 1640 to 1739

Fourth Period - 1740 to 1839

Fifth Period - 1840 to present century