James Parsons (physician)

English physician, antiquary and author

James Parsons FRS (March 17054 April 1770) was an English physician, antiquary and author. Born in Barnstaple, he was brought up in Ireland before going to Paris to study medicine. He received his degree from Rheims and in 1736 moved to London to study with the anatomist James Douglas. In 1741 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and was Assistant Foreign Corresponding Secretary of the Society from about 1750.

He was born in March 1705 at Barnstaple, Devon. He was educated in Dublin, his father having moved to Ireland on receiving the appointment of barrack master at Bolton. He acted for a time as tutor to Lord Kingston, but later went to Paris, where he studied medicine for several years. He took the degree of doctor of medicine at Rheims on 11 June 1736. A month later he came to London with letters of introduction from Paris to Hans Sloane, Richard Mead, and Dr. James Douglas. He assisted Douglas in his anatomical studies, was through his interest appointed physician to the public infirmary of St. Giles in 1738, and began an obstetric practice. He was admitted a licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians on 1 April 1751. For many years Parsons lived in Red Lion Square, London, and knew Martin Folkes, Mead, William Stukeley, and other fellows of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies. He was also a friend of Matthew Maty., who drew up an account of his writings on medicine and natural history. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society on 7 May 1741, and was assistant foreign secretary of the society about 1750. He was also Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, and a member of the Spalding Society and of the Society of Arts. In 1769 Parsons prepared, on account of ill health, to retire from his profession, and in June 1769 sold his books and fossils. He died at his house in Red Lion Square on 4 April 1770. He was buried in his family vault in St Mary's Churchyard, Hendon, but, in accordance with his wishes, not until 21 April. The inscription on his tomb describes him as a student of anatomy, antiquities, language, and the fine arts.

In addition to contributions to the Philosophical Transactions, Parsons published: It was then taken up by Georges Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon in his description of facial movements. Philosophical Observations on the Analogy between the Propagation of Animals and that of Vegetables (with Remarks on the Polypus), London, 1752. Remains of Japhet; being Historical Enquiries into the Affinity and Origin of the European Languages, London, 1767. In the preface to Remains of Japhet, Parsons states that he attained a tolerable knowledge of ancient Irish and Welsh.