Robert Robertson (physician)

Robert Robertson (1680 – 1731) was a Scottish physician and medical writer. He is best known for his work on fevers and his attempts to systematize medical knowledge of the time.

Born in Scotland, Robertson studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, graduating with a medical degree. He subsequently practiced medicine in Edinburgh.

His major publications include treatises on fevers, in which he categorized and described different types of fevers based on their symptoms and believed causes. He was an advocate for careful observation of patients and the recording of clinical data. While his theories on the etiology of fevers are now outdated, his emphasis on clinical observation was an important contribution to the development of medical practice.

Robertson also engaged in debates with other physicians of his day regarding medical theory and practice. He sought to ground medical practice in rational principles and observation, rather than relying solely on traditional remedies or speculative theories. He was a member of the Edinburgh Medical Society and participated in discussions on contemporary medical issues.

He died in Edinburgh in 1731. His works provide insights into the state of medical knowledge and practice in early 18th-century Scotland.