John Browne

Life Browne was brought up in Norwich, in a surgical family, being related to William Crop, a surgeon in Norfolk, but not closely related to Sir Thomas Browne whom he knew. He studied at St. Thomas's Hospital, London, under Thomas Hollyer, served as a naval surgeon, and then practised in Norwich.

In 1678 Browne moved to London, and about the same time was made surgeon in ordinary to King Charles II. With the king's recommendation he became surgeon at St. Thomas's Hospital, on 21 June 1683, chosen over Edward Rice who had taken charge of the hospital during the Great Plague of 1665, when other surgeons deserted their posts. Nevertheless, Browne's book was popular, and appeared in ten editions. The Surgeon's Assistant, London, 1703.