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London, England, 1829-11-05 00:00:00

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BIOGRA,PHY OF
rAR THOLOMEW DE SANCTIS, M.D.

From the. Monthly Gazette of Health.
•
MITI& ar awn. an ItIVCC, MD. &C. &C.
Dr. Bartholomew 4e Sanctis was born of highly res-
pectable parents, in the 'neighbourhood of Rome. After receiving
a classical education, and serving bis apprenticeship to an apothe-
cary. be went to Padua, where he applied himself to the study of
all the branches of medical knowledge, and prosecuted, with a rare
degree of ardour, sambetnatics and the higher departments of phi.
losopby. Having resided the usual time at this celebrated school,
and passed the ordinary examinations. be took the degree of M.D.
He then repaired to Rome, where be settled as a physician; and
here his extraordinary acquirements in mathematics, his generil
knowledge, and his excellence as a physician, combined with pleas.
log manner', soon procured him an extensive practice. He was
afterwards appointed Professor of Mathematics in the University of
Rome. Notwithstanding the extent of his practice, the duties of
his chair, and hi, irlent love of the study of mathematics, be found
time to cultivate vasious studiesond particularly physiology, pa-
thology, astronomy, poetry. music, and the dead languages. In
the latter he made so great a proficiency, that he was considered
the first Latin Mid Greek scholar in the Italian States. At Rome
hr might have lived respected and happy, but his mind was natu-
rally too noble to allow him to remain a silent spectator of the
efforts made by Pius VII. and his cardinals. to enslave, by pre-
venting the diffusion of knowledge and the enaction of bad laws,
the human mind, and to perpetuate that system of ignorance, su-
perstition, hypocrisy, and vice, which' form the very foundation of
the Catholic religions and which have ever been more conspicuous
within the walls of Rome than in any other part of Europe. Dr.
de Sanctis, although brought up as a Catholic, detested the farces
and immorality of the religion, and hoped to see the day when
more rational principles would be inculcated from the pulpit of
St. Peter's, and when the diffusion of knowledge would exert its
influence over the Romans, probably the most ignorant and de-
based people which now exist among civilized nations. Detesting
the bigotry and superstition of the 'Roman government as incar-
cerating the human mind, and rendering his fellow-subjects an
easy prey to imposture and slavery, be evinced a spirit of indepen-
dence which rendered him obnoxious to the Pope, who kept such
a surveillance over him, as to interrupt his favourite pursuits. His
mind being of too noble a character to permit him to unction doc-
trines which he knew were intended to debase the human intellect,
he resigned his chair as a professor, and determined to spend the
residue of his life in a country when the human intellect is al-
lowed to expand and pursue its favourite studies without the fear
of popish interference. •
It may here be stated, that he bailed with pleasure the invasion
of the Italian States by Napoleon, for be conceived that the great
talents of that extraordinary man, would lead him to overturn the
system of imposture, hypocrisy, and ignorance, which had so long
exerted its baneful influence on "the Garden of Europe;' but
when he found that his object was only to increase his dominions,
and benefit his own immediate country, he conceived as great
a hatred for him as he formerly had held him in admiration.
Considering England the most free and enlightened nation in
the world, about the year 1808 he embraced the opportunity
ir of
accompanying the brother of the celebrated Prussian, Von
Humboldt, as his physician, to London. Here be was soon intro-
duced to the Duke of Sussex, with whom, for several years, he
was in the habit of dining three times a month. He had the good
fortune, through the interest of his patron, to be appointed Physi-
cian to the Danish Embassy. Ho also obtained an appointment
at the Opera House, where his powers of composition in the Ita-
lian language were found useful. Through this appointment he
was frequently consulted, particularly by his own countrymen.
Having now's prospect of getting into practice, be was persuaded
by a fellow Of the College to obtain a licence. Supposing that it
would give him some rank in the medical profession, and conse-
quence among his immediate connexion, he offered himself for
examination, and being found competent, the College granted him
a license ;'but the Doctor not having the command of a greater
MUM than 230, he could not pay the charge of the College, of
nearly 270. The liberal censors, however, agreed to take the
230 and a bill for the remainder at two months date, accepted by
one of his countrymen !!! a liberality !!! highly creditable to a
body of philosophers, although it would have been disgraceful to a
corporation of shoemakerr!! The bill not being paid when due,
the attorney of this liberal body threatened him, and his friend the
acceptor, with legal proceedings! ! . Neither ;he Doctor nor his
friend being able to muster the sum, the attorney, probably from
shame, agreed to take a renewal of the bill, giving him to understand,
that if not honoured, the Docbor's licence would be abrogated !
In no other part of Europe is a demand made for a licence to practice
physic ; and the high charge for one by the London College operates
to the injury of the inhabitants of the metropolis, by excluding fo-
reigners of superior talent and experience from practice. Medicine
being in its infancy, and' numerous discoveries being daily made in
sonic branch of the healing art, in different countries, the exclusion
of physicians of experience, (if properly educated) from practice
within the limits of the jurisdiction of the College, acts to the
injury of " his 'Majesty's liege cideens," for the protection of
whose health the charter of the College was originally granted.
To an Englishman, the cunt demanded by the College for a
license may appear a trifle, but to a foreigner, and particularly an
Italian, it is a fortune. The Doctot was so inconvenienced by the
demand of the College, that be was afterwards never able to pay
bis way; for although sometimes he had several Italian patients,
yet according to the custom of the middling ranks of their country,
he never received any thing from them but an invitation to dinner.
About this time the Doctor formed a connexion with a French
chemist, settled in New-street, Covent Garden, who agreed to
make him an allowance on his prescriptions, which supplied him
with pocket-money.' The chemist becoming a bankrupt, the
Doctor lost this source of ready money. At this period of his life
he visited many foreigners of distinction in London, as well as the
Dukes of Suffolk and Devonshire, and many others of the English
nobility. The Earl of Baste' and Led Holland engaged his le
instruct some of the members of their families in the Italian lan'.
page.
About this.time the Doctor •fancied he bad made some discove-
ries which would overturn the doctrine/ Of Newton. These he
published in the Philosophical Magazine. He also communicated
some papers to the Humane Society on the best means of resusci-
tating bodies apparently drowned. Owing to his independent
spirit, the Doctor now lost his employment as instructor in the
noble families mentioned above, and became so much inconveni-
enced, as to be under the necessity of betaking to a garret, and
becoming valet to himself. His apparel now getting shabby, he
was obliged to discontinue his visits to the higher classes, and in a
abort time he was forced even to quit his garret. Instead of spend-
ing his nights in a bed, he now passed them in the park ; occupied,
when the moon shone, in contemplating the celestial odies, and
when they. were not visible, in sleeping under a tree. In the
morning. to quiet his stomach, he took the bark of trees, and when
bard pressed by hunger, frequently made a repast on the green
grass ! During this time of distress, he often went without any
other meal than what the park afforded for several days together.
On meeting the son of a political lord, to whose family he had
given lessons in the Italian language, be was informed, on inquir-
ing atter his father, that he was at his seat in Leicestenhireb where
be would be glad to see him. The Doctor immediately determined
to visit his Lordship, and accordingly marched'off with kis tele-
scope for Leicestershire. living by the way chiefly on raw vege-
tables, and at night sleeping in the fields. On arriving at his
Lordship's mansion, he was told by the servant that his Lord•
ship was not there, and that be had not been there for many
months, and that he was at his residence near London. Without
receiving any refreshment, the Doctor left the mansion, and
determined to return to London by way of Oxford. that he might
see the Colleges there, and receive some assistance from the Pro-
fessors. Being shabbily dressed; he was only permitted to view
the exterior of the buildings, and from the heads of them, he re-
ceived nothing. Here, for a few shillings, be disposed of his fa-
vourite companion, the telescope, to provide some more solid nou-
rishment than what the green fields and hedges afforded. Between
Oxford and London. being very fatigued, and his feet much blis-
tered, be took a seat on a stage coach, for which the coachman, on
his arrival at the hotel in Piccadilly, demanded the sum of seven
shillings. The Doctor having no money, the coachman threatened
to'take him to a police office, to which the Doctor made no ob-
jection. Alter much " dunning," during which the Doctor evinced
the greatest sang frsid, the coachman allowed him to depart. We
have noticed this part of the life of Doctor de Sanctis to show the
cruelty of this scion of a noble house playing off such a hoax on a
distressed roan. The nights now getting cold, the Doctor's mis-
fortunes became so .ffiicting as evidently to, disturb his mind; and
at one time his existence was so intolerable, that he made au at-
tempt to terminate it, which was prevented by the servant of the
writer of this article, who bad not only occasionally fed him for
some years, but had•also clothed him and supplied him with motley.
About this period, when his mind was evidently unhinged, he
wrote a note to the Duke ..f Wellington, offering his services
to the country, either as a mei'ical officer or a private soldier.—
His Grace not having noticed his application, be considered
himself insulted, and accordingly' broke one of the windows
of Apsley House, through which he introduced a note. • con-
taining the expression, " Answer or fight—Bartholomew de
Sands." The Noble Duke, although informed that the
Doctor might whops do him some bodily injury. with his
usual intrepidity sod nobleness of mind, disdained to take ary
fe-
tics of him. The Doctor also supposing that the Duke of Dever.
shire slighted him, sent his Grace a kind of challenge, by transmit-
ting to bins a bent sword.
rbtough the humanity of a magiurate of Ilaribtarougb.street •

6.-_____

Police-office, (Sir George Farrant) the Doctor was sent to Saint
George's* workhouse, where be found himself more happily situ-
ated than he had been for a long time. Here he spent his time In
reading some old newspapers, and dispersing politics with his com-
panions to whom he paid as marked attention, and as great polite-
ness, *sit they had been noblemen. The parish edam% consider-
ing that be had no claim on them, took him to the Police-office in
Marlborough-street, to ascertain his real parish, when it appeared,
• from his own statement. that he belonged to that of Sr. Pancras,
to the workhouse of which be was accordingly removed. His exa-
mination and distresses having appeared in the London papers,
some beneielent people tranultifetd money to Sir George Farrant
for him. The humane Mr. Webb, then at Paris, sent Sir George
The money being given to him, the Doctor soon quitted the
workhouse, and having purchased a few articles of apparel, the
Doctor -wu " himself again." His money was, however, soon
expended, and at this time he is again an inmate of St. Pancras
workhouse, with a mind fat from being in a sound state, and with ,
no other property than his " College License." which was the
cause of his ruin, and which is not worth to him so many farthings
as he paid pounds fur It. ' •
Thus we have traced a man of splendid talents and extraordinary
acquirements through• a career' as singular and unfortunate as any
that has eta been recorded. 'Had be never taken a license trona
the College he might now have been in extensive practice, and
benefiting the public by his talents, instead of lingering unnoticed
and unknown in the wards of a workhouse. What a picture of
wretchedness does this man's history display ! It ought to be a
beacon to all foreign physicians, several of whom are at present
starving in this metropolis, of the difficulties they may have to en-
counter when attempting to establish themselves in it. And what
a dreadful specimen is here eihibited, of the melancholy conse-
quences of the cruel extortion of the London College of Physicians!