prefixed to the Catalogue of the Forster Library, pp. i–xxii, 1888. Reference may also be made to the Times of 2 and 7 Feb. 1876; Athenæum, 5 Feb. 1876; Alderman Harle's sketch of John Forster in Newcastle Daily Chronicle of 15 Feb. 1876, reprinted, in February 1888, in Monthly Chronicle of North-Country Lore and Legend, ii. 49–54; Men of the Time, 9th edit. p. 413; Annual Register for 1876, p. 134.]
FORSTER, JOHN COOPER (1823–1886), surgeon, was born on 13 Nov. 1823 in Mount Street, Lambeth, his father and grandfather having been medical practitioners there. After being at King's College School Forster entered at Guy's Hospital in 1841, became M.R.C.S. in 1844, M.B. London in 1847, gaining a gold medal in surgery, and F.R.C.S. in 1849. In 1850 he was appointed demonstrator of anatomy at Guy's, in 1855 assistant surgeon, and in 1870 full surgeon. In 1880, when senior surgeon, he resigned his appointment, at the same time that Dr. Habershon resigned the senior physiciancy, as a mark of disapproval of the conduct of the governors and treasurer of the hospital in disregarding the opinions of the medical staff on questions relating to the nursing staff. After their resignation over four hundred Guy's men subscribed to a testimonial and presentation of silver plate to both. After being long a member of the council of the College of Surgeons and examiner in surgery he was in 1884–5 president of the college, and did much to facilitate the starting of the combined examination scheme of the colleges of physicians and surgeons. On the termination of his year of office he retired from practice, having long ceased to extend it owing to his large private means. After a stay at Cannes and Nice in January and February following he returned home prostrated by the cold of travelling, and died of an obscure disease on 2 March 1886 (see Mr. Jonathan Hutchinson's remarks on the case, British Medical Journal, 13 March 1886).
Forster was a good practical surgeon, prompt and decisive in the wards, and by no means lacking in boldness as an operator. He was the first to perform gastrostomy in England in 1858, and went to Aberdeen to study Pirrie's procedure of acupressure in 1867, and in various papers in the Pathological and Clinical Society's ‘Transactions,’ and by his reports of surgical cases in ‘Guy's Hospital Reports,’ showed enlarged views and keen observation. His clinical lectures were terse, emphatic, and full of common sense. His only published volume was on ‘The Surgical Diseases of Children,’ 1860. There is no doubt that Forster would have done more as a surgeon but for his easy circumstances. He was a good practical horticulturist, a very skilful oarsman, having a very wide and complete knowledge of English waterways, and a devoted fly-fisher; he was also noted for his cheery and well-planned hospitality.
[Guy's Hospital Reports, vol. xliv. 1887, Memorial Notice by W. H. A. Jacobson.]
FORSTER, NATHANIEL, D.D. (1718–1757), classical and biblical scholar, was born on 3 Feb. 1717–18 at Stadscombe, in the parish of Plymstock, Devonshire, of which his father, Robert Forster, was then minister. His mother was Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. John Tindal, vicar of Cornwood in the same county. She was sister of the Rev. Nicholas Tindal, translator of Rapin's ‘History of England,’ and niece of Dr. Matthew Tindal, author of ‘Christianity as Old as the Creation’ (see Tindal pedigree in Nichols, Lit. Anecd. ix. 303). He received the rudiments of education at Plymouth, where his father had removed on being appointed lecturer of St. Andrew's Church. After a course of instruction in the grammar school of that town under the Rev. John Bedford, he was removed in 1731–2 to Eton, being at the same time entered at Pembroke College, Oxford, in order to entitle him to the benefit of an exhibition of 40l. a year. He spent about sixteen months at Eton, and then repaired to his college at Oxford, where he became a pupil of Dr. Radcliff. On 13 June 1733 he was admitted scholar of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He proceeded B.A. in 1735, and M.A. 10 Feb. 1738–9, was elected a fellow of Corpus in 1739, and graduated B.D. in 1746 and D.D. in 1750 (Foster, Alumni Oxon. ii. 479).
In 1749 he was presented by the Lord-chancellor Hardwicke, on the recommendation of Bishop Secker, to the small rectory of Hethe, Oxfordshire. In 1750 he became domestic chaplain to Dr. Butler, on that prelate being translated from Bristol to Durham. The bishop bequeathed to him a legacy of 200l., appointed him executor of his will, and died in his arms at Bath [see Butler, Joseph]. Forster, overwhelmed with grief at the loss of his friend, returned to his college for a short time, and in July 1752 was appointed one of the chaplains to Dr. Herring, archbishop of Canterbury. In the autumn of 1754 the archbishop gave him the valuable vicarage of Rochdale, Lancashire. Although a scholar and a preacher of the highest order, he was little understood and not very popular at Rochdale, where he did not long reside. The many letters addressed to him by Dr. Herring show that the primate's regard for him was most cordial and sincere. The lord
