Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Boulton, Richard

by no contributor recorded

BOULTON, RICHARD (fl. 1697–1724), physician, educated at Brasenose College, Oxford, and for some time settled at Chester, was the author of a number of works on the medical and kindred sciences, including:

1. 'Reason of Muscular Motion,' 1697.
2. 'Treatise concerning the Heat of the Blood,' 1698.
3. 'An Examination of Mr. John Colbatche's Books,' 1699
4. 'Letter to Dr. Goodal occasioned by his Letter to Dr. Leigh,' 1699.
5. 'System of Rational and Practical Chirurgery,' 1699; 2nd edition, 1713.
6. 'The Works of the Hon. Robert Boyle epitomised,' 3 vols. 1699-1700.
7. 'Physico-Chirurgical Treatises of the Gout, the King's Evil, and the Lues Venerea,' 1714.
8. 'Essay on External Remedies,' 1715.
9. 'Essay on the Plague,' 1721.
10. 'Vindication of the Compleat History of Magic,' 1722.
11. 'Thoughts concerning the Unusual Qualities of the Air,' 1724.

Though apparently learned in the science of his profession, he was seemingly not successful in his practice, for in a letter to Sir Hans Sloane he states that he undertook to write an abridgment of Mr. Boyle's works on account of 'misfortunes still attending him;' and in another letter he mentions that successive misfortunes had made him the object of his compassion, and begs him to effect something towards putting him in a way to live. In the preface to the 'Vindication of the History of Magic' he states that he had been for some time out of England.

[Watt's Bibl. Brit.; Brit. Mus. Catalogue; Sloane MS. 4038.]