Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Guidott, Thomas
GUIDOTT, THOMAS (fl. 1698), physician, born at Lymington, Hampshire, in September 1638, was the eldest son of Francis Guidott, and a great-great-grandson of Sir Anthony Guidotti. He was sent to school at Dorchester, and became a commoner of Wadham College, Oxford, at the end of October 1656. He graduated B.A. on 16 Jan. 1659, and M.A. on 16 Oct. 1662 (Wood, Fasti Oxon. ed. Bliss, ii. 218, 262; Gardiner, Reg. Wadham College, 216). He took to medical studies, and about 1664 declined an offer to go to Copenhagen to study anatomy under Thomas Bartholine. After being admitted M.B. on 14 July 1666 he practised about Oxford (ib. ii. 290). In the following year he removed to Bath, where Dr. John Maplet, 'a noted physician of that place,' helped him to attain extensive practice, most of which he had lost in 1679 by his 'impudence, lampooning, and libelling.' He therefore retired to London, in the summer visiting Bath. In 1671 he performed his exercise at Oxford for the degree of M.D., but does not appear to have taken it. On 21 Nov. 1690 he was offered by Berencloa, the chief professor at Venice, the professorship of medicine at either Venice or Leyden. He preferred, however, to remain in England. Wood, who seems to have known Guidott well, describes him as a 'person of good parts, well vers'd in Greek and Latin learning, and intelligent in his profession; but so much overwhelm'd with self-conceit and pride as to be in a manner sometimes crazed, especially when his blood was heated by too much bibbing' (Athenæ Oxon. ed. Bliss, iv. 733-5). Hearne calls him 'an ingenious, but vain, conceited, whimsical physician' (Collections, i. 123, Oxf. Hist. Soc.)
He edited the third edition of Dr. Edward Jorden's ‘Discourse of Natural Bathes and Mineral Waters,’ to which he added some particulars of the Authors Life,' and an ‘Appendix concerning Bathe … with a Brief Account of the Nature and the Virtues of the Hot Waters there,’ 8vo, London, 1669, dedicated to John Maplet. He saw through the press Maplet's posthumous ‘Epistolarum Medicarum Specimen de Thermarum Bathoniensium Effectis,’ 4to, London, 1694.
He also published an edition, with prolegomena, later translation, and notes, of ‘ΘεοΦίλου περί οṽρων βιβλίον … cui accessit ejusdem Theophili de Excrementis Tractatus,’ 8vo, Leyden, 1703, having collated the text with manuscripts in the Bodleian Library. Besides some lampoons, circulated probably as broadsheets, Guidott was author of: 1. ‘A Quære concerning drinking Bathawter at Bathe, resolved,’ 8vo, London, 1673, by 'Eugenius Philander.' 2. ‘A Letter concerning some Observations lately made at Bathe. Written to his much honoured Friend Sir E[dward]G[reaves], Knight and Baronet, M.D., in London,’ 4to, London, 1674 (reprinted in both quarto editions of the 'Harleian Miscellany'). 3. ‘A Discourse of Bathe, and the Hot Waters there. Also some Enquiries into the nature of the Water of St. Vincent's Rock, near Bristol, and that of Castle Gary. To which is added, A Century of Observations, more fully declaring the nature, property, and distinction of the Baths. With an Account of the Lives and Character of the Physicians of Bathe,’ 8vo, London, 1676-7. the ‘Century of Observations’ had been published separately in 1676. 4. ‘A True and Exact Account of Sadlers Well; or the new Mineral-Waters lately found out at Islington; treating of its nature and virtues. … Published for publick good by T. G., Doctor of Physick,’ 4to, London, 1684. 5. ‘Gideon's Fleece; or the Sieur de Frisk. An Heroick Poem. Written on the cursory perusal of a late Book [by Gideon Harvey], call'd The Conclave of Physicians. By (Philo-Musus), a Friend to the Muses,’ 4to, London, 1684. 6. ‘The New-Year's Gift; being a Paraphrase on a Fable in Æsop,’ s. sh. fol., London, 1690. 7. ‘Thomæ Guidotti … de Thermis Britannicis Tractatus …’ 2 pts. 4to, London, 1691 (chiefly from the English tracts). 8. ‘The Register of Bath, or Two Hundred Observations. Containing an Account of Cures performed and Benefit received by the use of the famous Hot Waters of Bath,’ &c., 8vo, London, 1694. A translation of part of the foregoing. It was reprinted in vol. ii. of John Quinton's ‘Treatise of Warm Bath Water,’ 4to, Oxford, 1733-4. 9. ‘An Apology for the Bath. Being an Answer to a late Enquiry into the Right Use and Abuses of the Baths in England … With some Reflections on Fresh Cold-Bathing, Bathing in Sea-Water, and Dipping in Baptism. In a Letter to a Friend. By the Author of the Latin Tract, "De Thermis Britannicis,"' 8vo, London, 1705; another edition, 8vo, London. 1708. Many of Guidott's Bath tracts were published in ‘A Collection of Treatises relating to the City and Waters of Bath,’ &c., 8vo, London, 1725. He left in manuscript: (1) ‘Historia Æsculapii cum Figuris,’ 4to, now in the British Museum, Sloane MS. 2038; (2) ‘De Balneis Bathoniensibus Tractatus amplus,’ 4to; (3) ‘Exercitationum Medico-physicarum Decas,’ 4to; (4) ‘Tabulæ Medicæ XXIV,’ 8vo; (5) ‘Annotata in Loca difficiliora utriusque Fœderis;’ (6) ‘Virgilius Theocriticωn, Hesiodicωn, Homericωn,’ 8vo; (7) 'Consilia, Epistolæ & Observationes medicinal. rariores,' 8vo; (8) 'Historia Medica' (affecta solum), 4to; (9) 'Apparatus ad Tractatum de omni Poculentorum Genere, excepto Uvarum succo,' 8vo; (10) 'Adversaria;' (11) 'Poemata varia Anglica;' (12) 'Catechismus Heraldicus,' in English; (13) 'Votum pium; Vita sua in Nominis sui Gloriam,' 8vo, described by Wood as being 'bound in russia leather, gilt;' it was also entitled ' Thomæ Guidotti de Vita & Scriptis Commentariolus.'
Some notes upon biblical criticism, sent by Guidott to Matthew Poole, are acknowledged in vol. i. of Poole's 'Synopsis,' 1669. He was residing at Bath in 1698.
[Authorities as above.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.143
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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| 322 | ii | 7 f.e. | Guidott, Thomas: for Addit. MS. read Sloane MS. |