Thomas Sydenham

Who was Thomas Sydenham?

Thomas Sydenham was an English physician who advanced the use scientific processes in medicine.

What was Thomas Sydenham also known as?

Sydenham was known as 'the English Hippocrates'.

What was Thomas Sydenham's main idea?

Sydenham would not rely on medical books alone. He believed in observing the patients and recording their symptoms. This process allowed him to see patterns between illnesses and treatments.

What was the main contribution of Thomas Sydenham?

Sydenham classified diseases into different types, based on which symptoms each patient exhibited. He was able to show, for example, that measles and scarlet fever were different types of disease.

What was the name of Thomas Sydenham's book?

In 1676, Sydenham published 'Medical Observations'. It explained how illnesses and diseases had external causes, and were not the result of something internal such as unbalanced humours.

What was the significance of Thomas Sydenham?

Sydenham was important because he paved the way for future doctors to take a more scientific approach to medicine.