| Authorised form of name | Cowper; William (c 1666 - 1709); surgeon and anatomist |
| Other forms of surname | Cooper |
| Dates | c 1666 - 1709 |
| Nationality | British |
| Place of birth | Petersfield, Sussex, England |
| Date of birth | c 1666 |
| Place of death | Petersfield, Sussex |
| Date of death | 08 March 1709 |
| DatesAndPlaces | Burial:
St Nicholas Church, Bishop's Sutton |
| Occupation | Surgeon |
| Research field | Anatomy |
| Activity | Education:
Apprenticed to William Bignall (1681) and then to John Fletcher, surgeons of London
Career:
Practised in London (1691); published works on anatomy, incorporating illustrations by Gothofridus Bidloo (FRS 1696), which gave rise to an exchange of acrimonious pamphlets; began to suffer from dropsy and retired to Petersfield (1708)
Memberships:
Barber-Surgeons' Company (1691) |
| Membership category | Fellow |
| Date of election | 11/01/1699 |
| Relationships | Parents: Richard Cowper of Petersfield |
| PublishedWorks | RCN 34416
RCN 23427
RCN 34415 |
| OtherInfo | In the Philosophical Transactions of November 1699 (21, 364–9) Cowper described the urethral glands, which he termed glandula mucosae, that now bear his name.
Highly regarded in his time, Cowper's reputation endured despite the Bidloo controversy. He contributed to medical literature, was recognized for his anatomical expertise at the trial of Spencer Cowper, and earned praise from contemporaries like James Douglas. Cowper's extensive collection of specimens and drawings found their way into the Royal Society, the British Library, and the Hunterian Collection.
The Bidloo affair involved Cowper's critique of Bidloo's plates in "Anatomy of Humane Bodies" (1698), leading to accusations of plagiarism. Despite controversy, Cowper's work became a standard anatomy text and was republished multiple times. His contributions extended to glandular studies, comparative anatomy, and illustrations for Edward Tyson's works. Cowper also played a role in James Drake's "Anthropologia Nova" (1707). |
| Related images | Discover a selection of related images in our picture library |
| Image | 
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| Source | Sources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB; Hunter
References:
P Fontes da Costa, 'The Culture of Curiosity at The Royal Society in the first half of the eighteenth century', NR 2002 vo l56 pp 147-166
Notes:
Proposed by Edward Tyson. In DNB entry Petersfield is said to be in Sussex, although Gazetteer says Hampshire. |
| Virtual International Authority File | http://viaf.org/viaf/31987109 |
| Code | NA7335 |
Archives associated with this Fellow
| RefNo | Title | Date |
| IM/000972 | Cowper, William | nd |
| IM/005611 | Cowper, William | nd |
| CLP/22i/50 | Paper, Concerning the disagreement between William Cowper and [Govert / Govard] Bidloo on anatomical matters | c.17th century |
| CLP/14i/43 | Paper, 'An account of chylification' by William Cowper | [1696] |
| RBO/9/92 | 'Account of what appeared on opening the Body of St Johns Esq who dyed July 2 1705 Aged 72' by William Cowper | 1710 |