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Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Coxe, Thomas

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1355949Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 12 — Coxe, Thomas1887Norman Moore

COXE, THOMAS, M.D. (1615–1685), physician, a native of Somersetshire, was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. 1635, M.A. 1638. He took his M.D. degree, like Harvey, at Padua 12 Dec. 1641, and was afterwards incorporated at Oxford. He became a fellow of the College of Physicians 25 June 1649. In 1660 he delivered the Harveian oration, but did not print his composition. From 1676 to 1680 he was treasurer of the college, and in 1682 was elected president. He was one of the first list of fellows nominated by the council of the Royal Society in 1662. Of his practice nothing is known but that he was physician in the army of the parliament during the rebellion, and that at the bedside of Sydenham's brother he suggested the profession of physic to him, who became the greatest of English physicians. Coxe fell into difficulties in his old age, and flying from his creditors died of apoplexy in France in 1685.

[Munk's Coll. of Phys. 1878, i. 247; Wood's Athenæ Oxon.; Thomson's History of the Royal Society, 1812, p. 3.]