Person Charleton; Walter (1620 - 1707); physician and natural philosopher Charleton Walter physician and natural philosopher Charlton, Walter Charlton 1620 - 1707 British Male Parsonage House, Shepton Mallett, Somerset, England, Europe 2 February 1620 16200202 London, England, Europe 24 April 1707 17072404

Russell Street, Covent Garden, London (1650-)

Physician Natural philosophy Medicine Chemistry Education: Educated by his father; Magdalen Hall, Oxford (matriculated 1635; MD 1643) Career: Physician-in-ordinary to Charles I and Charles II; occasional assistant to senior Royal Physician Sir Theodore Turquet de Mayerne; practised in London (1650-1691); published 'A Ternary of Paradoxes', 'Deliramenta catarrhi', and 'Spiritus gorgonicus' (1650); published his work 'Physiologia Epicuro-Gassendo-Charltoniana; or, A fabrick of science natural upon the hypothesis of atoms, founded by Epicurus, repaired by Petrus Gassendus, augmented by Walter Charleton' (1654); appointed physician-in-ordinary to exiled Charles II; Harveian orator (1680; 1705); retired to Nantwich, Cheshire (1692); returned to London and was appointed College of Physician's Harveian librarian (1706) Memberships: Royal College of Physicians (Honorary Fellow 1664; Fellow 1676-1677; President 1689-1691) Parents: Walter Charlton and Susannah Jeay Married: 1) Ann Parsons; 2) Dorothy Waterman Charleton's work was influenced by the theory of iatrochemistry, a branch of chemistry and medicine with its roots in alchemy. His translation work of Van Helmont's work further painted him as a representative of this field. For these views, he faced criticicsm from more orthodox colleagues. He was further introduced to mechanical philosophy through association with Sir Kenelm Digby (FRS 1663) and Thomas Hobbes. Charleton's most important work remains his 'Physiologia', which exceeded the aims of a mere translation of Gassendi's 'Syntagma Philosophiae Epicuri' (a revival of Epicurean natural philosophy), and in which Charleton included his own viewpoints, reconstructing a world system on the basis of hard atoms in motion in the void. He was set on defending Epicurean atomism against its frequent equation with atheism and his work is considered vital in popularising atomic ideas of Epicureanism in England. Committee and panels: Anatomical Committee (1664); Committee for Collecting all the Phenomena of Nature hitherto observed (1664) Original Fellow 20/05/1663 Proposed on 23 January 1661; Involved in thermal and poison-related experiments and observations (1661); Interested in echoes and sonic phenomena, in particular in relation to the whispering gallery at Gloucester Cathedral (1662); Wrote a paper on the fulmination of Gold and on the velocity of sounds (1662) Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB; Munk's Roll; Foster; ODNB References: Robert Kargon, 'Walter Charleton, Robert Boyle, and the Acceptance of Epicurean Atomism in England', in Isis, 1964, vol 55(2), pp 184-192 Horne, R. A, 'Review of Physiologia. Epicuro-Gassendo-Charltoniana: Or a Fabrick of Science Natural, upon the Hypothesis of Atoms, Founded by Epicurus, Repaired by Petrus Gessendus, Augmented by Walter Charleton, by W. Charleton', in Isis, 1967, vol 58(2), pp 270–271 P M Rattansi, 'The Intellectual Origins of the Royal Society' in NR 1968 vol 23 pp 129-143 Michael Hunter, 'The Social Bias and Changing Fortunes of an Early Scientific Institution: An Analysis of the Membership of the Royal Society, 1660-1685' in NR 1976-7 vol 31 pp 9-114 Penelope M Gouk, 'Acoustics in the Early Royal Society 1660-1680' in NR 1981-82 vol 36 pp 155-175 Notes: The election date is Charleton's re-election date into the Society after the grant of the second charter in April 1663. All Fellows admitted in a two-month window after this charter, until 22 June 1663, are considered Original Fellows. He was previously admitted into the Society on 15 May 1661. Name spelt 'Charleton' in DNB, DSB and by Michael Hunter. Alternative birth and death dates (13 Feb, 6 May) provided by DSB. Birth date given as 1619 in Munk. Charleton W, IM006601.jpg ©The Royal Society International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 RCN: 32804 RCN: 32803 RCN: R82295 RCN: 32805 RCN: 33687 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/results?mi_search_type=adv&mi_adv_search=yes&adv_person_id=AUTH1680 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/image-rs-19070 2 or 13 Feb 1620 - 24 Apr or 6 May 1707 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 06/01/2022 as part of Name Authority Project update. NA8167 21/11/2001 Andyg pmab 28/03/2023 RS_NET\JonathanB Yes http://viaf.org/viaf/24689876 5ef89b39-5b04-467a-9b9d-ecd8c87bbbfc