Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Reid, John (1776-1822)
REID, JOHN, M.D. (1776–1822), physician, was born at Leicester in 1776, and after education at the school of Mr. Holland, a dissenting minister, went to the Hackney nonconformist academy for five years. He then studied medicine at Edinburgh, and there graduated M.D. on 12 Sept. 1798, reading a thesis ‘De Insania.’ He became a licentiate of the College of Physicians of London on 25 June 1804. He published in 1801 a translation from the French, ‘An Account of the Savage Youth of Avignon;’ in 1806 ‘A Treatise of Consumption,’ in which he states his belief that tubercles are inflammatory products, and have no real resemblance to caseous disease of lymphatic glands; and in 1816 ‘Essays on Insanity,’ of which an enlarged edition appeared in 1821 as ‘Essays on Hypochondriasis and other Nervous Affections.’ He generally writes with good sense, and relates a few interesting cases of mental disease, but has added nothing to medical knowledge. He was a contributor of medical reports to the ‘Old Monthly Magazine,’ gave lectures on the theory and practice of medicine, and was physician to the Finsbury Dispensary. His house was in Grenville Street, Brunswick Square, and he died there on 2 July 1822.
[Munk's Coll. of Phys. iii. 14; Works.]