IIEBERDEN, WILLIAM. M.D., was born in London in 1710. In 1724 ho was sent to St.. John's College, Cambridge, of which, six years afterwards, he was elected a fellow. lie studied medicine in Cam bridge and London, and after taking his degree practised as a physician, and delivered an annual course of lectures on materia medics in that university. In 1740 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, and soon after left Cambridge, and commenced practising in London, where he at once met with the greatest success, and ob tained the highest reputation. After thirty years' extensive practice, finding his health declining, be gradually withdrew himself from his profession to retirement in Windsor, where he died in 1801. In 1750 be was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and in 1778 an associate of the Royal Society of Medicine in Paris.
It was at the suggestion of Dr. Heberden that the publication of the Medical Transactions of the College of Physicians was commenced. He contributed many valuable papers to the first volume, which appeared in 1768, and to two succeeding volumes : among them may especially be noticed his paper on the Angina Pectoris, a disease not previously described, and that on the Chicken-pox, which ho first distinguished from the Small-pox. lie contributed also somo papers to the 'Transactions of the Royal Society ; ' but his principal work was the 'Medical Commentariea,' which he wrote in 1782, and which was published after hie death. It is written in very elegant Latin, and contains the practical results of his lengthened experience. Com piled from observations which he had always been in the habit of writing by the bedside of his patient, it affords sufficient evidence of an accomplished and observing mind, and of very extensive practical knowledge. (Memoir prefixed to the Commentaries?)
IIECATrEUS of Miletus, son of Hegesander, and one of the earliest (heck prose writers, was born probably about B.C. 550. He was present at the deliberation of the Ionians (n.o. 501), and attempted to dissuade them from revolting against the Persian king. (Herod., v. 36.) He is also mentioned by Herodotus (v. 125) as being alive at the time of the flight of Ariatagoras, n.e. 497. His works, which con sisted of histories, genealogies, and geographical pieces, were held in considerable esteem by the ancients. Herodotue (vi. 137) quotes one of his historical works. Strides (i. p. 12, Caaauben) complains that his geographical works only contained the descriptions of the poets written in prose; but he is mentioned by Ammianus Marcellinus (sail. 8.) in conjunction with Eratosthenes and Ptolemy. Hecatteue appears, like lierodotus, to have visited distant conntriee for the pur pose of acquiring information respecting the history, customs, and physical peculiarities of forelg.n lands. Herodotus (il. 143) gives an account of a conversation of Ilecatmus with the priests at Thebes in Egypt, which was apparently derived from his works.
The fragments which remain of the writings of Hecatteua have been published by Creuzer In his Historicorum Grtecorum Antiquissi morum Fraginenta,' Svo, IleideL, 1806 ; by 1Clausen, Heeatmi Milesli Fraginenta,' 8vo, Berl., 1831 ; C. and J. Muller, Fragm. Mist. Gran.; Paris. 1841; and In the 'Museum Critleuni; voL L p. 88.10], Climb., 1814.