Richard Morton

Richard Morton (30 July 1637 – 30 August 1698) was an English physician who was the first to state that tubercles were always present in the tuberculosis disease of the lungs. In Morton's time, this wasting disease was termed consumption, or by its Greek name of phthisis. Recognition of the many possible symptoms of this infection belonging to a single disease was not until the 1820s and it was J.L. Schönlein in 1839 who introduced the term "tuberculosis".

Life Clerical career He was born in Worcestershire, England and, having trained at Oxford's Magdalen Hall, decided to enter the Church, becoming Vicar of Kinver in Staffordshire. He was also appointed chaplain of New College. An English translation appeared in 1694, with a second English edition appearing in 1694. A second English edition was published in 1720. Its significance is partly due to the disease receiving little study by other doctors of the time despite it being a major cause of death; accounting for over 18% all deaths in the City of London in 1700.

In 1692 he also published Pyretologia, seu Exercitationes de Morbis Universalibus Acutis and Pyretologiæ Pars altera, sive Exercitatio de Febribus inflammatoriis universalibus.

Family Morton was married with one daughter.