Logo  
William Woodville

Click to enlarge

Portrait of: William Woodville
Style: Stipple and line engraving
By: W. Bond and Shephard.
After: L. F. Abbott and Woolnoth
Dimensions: 30. 7 x 44. 9 cm

William Woodville (1752-1805) was a physician and botanist born in Cumberland. He studied at the University of Edinburgh, obtaining his MD in 1775. He laterrelocated to London where he worked as physician to the Middlesex Dispensary. In 1784 he joined the Royal College of Physicians and the Physical Societyat Guy's Hospital. He was granted the position of physician to the London Smallpoxand Inoculation Hospital at St Pancras in 1791, a charitable institution thatprovided smallpox inoculations and treated the disease. After Jenner’sdiscovery of the vaccination Woodville quickly adopted the technique and becameone of the procedures’ keenest advocates.

Below the portrait of Woodville is a picturesque image of the InoculatingHospital at St. Pancras. The composition of the print is similar to a numberof other images in the collection and demonstrates the importance of the linkbetween medical practitioners and the institutions with which they were involved.

Home Physicians Hall, George Street, Edinburg Physician’s Hall, Queen Street, Edinburgh William Woodville James Johnstone