1741-1799

English Physician, Pharmacologist and Botanist

William Withering placed the medical use of digitalis on a firm scientific foundation. His 1785 book of digitalis cases, observations, and experiments is a classic in the history of therapeutics and pharmacology.

Withering was born in Wellington, Shropshire, England, the only son of Edmund Withering, an apothecary. He was tutored in Greek and Latin at the home of Rev. Henry Wood in Ercall, then entered the University of Edinburgh in 1762. Upon receiving his M.D. at Edinburgh in 1766, he established a private medical practice in Stafford. In 1772 he married one of his patients, Helena Cooke. In 1775 he moved his practice to Birmingham, and soon was among the most prosperous physicians there.

In Birmingham Withering made friends with Joseph Priestley (1733-1804), Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802), and several other prominent scientists. He joined the Lunar Society (so called because it met monthly during the...