Fenwick Skrimshire

Fenwick Skrimshire (1774 – 11 June 1855) was an English physician and naturalist. His father was William Skrimshire the elder. He published a number of works of popular science and medicine. He helped his brother William Skrimshire (the younger), (1766 in Wisbech – 22 July 1829) a surgeon and botanist to amass a large herbarium. Skrimshire is notable for having certified the poet John Clare as mad and committed him to Northamptonshire County General Lunatic Asylum in 1841, having known him since 1820.[1] He completed the admission papers by answering the question "Was the insanity preceded by any severe or long-continued mental emotion or exertion?" with "After years of poetical prosing."[2] Skrimshire died at Paston Hall, Peterborough on 11 June 1855.[3][4]

Publications
  • (1802) A Series of Popular Chemical Essays
  • (1805) A Series of Essays introductory to the Study of Natural History[5]
  • (1838) The Village Pastor's Surgical and Medical Guide[6]

References
  1. Geoffrey Summerfield, Hugh Haughton, Adam Phillips, "John Clare in context", Cambridge University Press, 1994, ISBN 0-521-44547-7, p.263
  2. Margaret Grainger (ed), "The natural history prose writings of John Clare", Oxford English Texts, Oxford University Press, 1983, ISBN 0-19-818517-0, p.34
  3. The Gentleman's magazine, Volume 198, August 1855, p.218
  4. Association medical journal, Volume 3, Issues 105-106, 1855, p.617
  5. Ralph Griffiths, George Edward Griffiths (edd), "The Monthly Review", printed for R. Griffiths, 1806, p.366
  6. The Churchman, a magazine in defence of the church and constitution, 1838, p.331


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