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Full Description
Philippe Fermin (1730-1813) was born in a Huguenot family in Berlin, where he attended the French gymnasium. He apprenticed as a surgeon in Suffolk, England and took the "sea exam" in Amsterdam. He became a ship surgeon and sailed to Paramaribo, Suriname, where he stayed for seven years. He obtained his MD from the University of Aberdeen (1758). He became interested in medical and natural history observations in Suriname, about which he wrote seven books after settling in Maastricht, the Netherlands. He eventually became a member of the bench of aldermen in that city and, in the French era, deputy judge. This book is based largely on correspondence with Fermin's teacher in Berlin, perpetual secretary of the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences Samuel Formey (1711-1797), Fermin's seven books and archival material. The book aims to paint a picture of that period from Fermin's perspective. Some of the aspects covered in the book include his surgical training in Berlin, Suffolk, and Amsterdam, life in Suriname, slavery, the decline of this Dutch colony, the collection of curiosities in so-called cabinets, the Republic of Letters, the scientific societies of the time, and the experiments he conducted in Suriname, which sometimes provoked fierce criticism.
Contents
List of illustrations
List of abbreviations
Acknowledgements
Chronology
Preface
Chapter 1: Birth and education in Berlin
Chapter 2: Training in England and surgeon/physician in Paramaribo
Chapter 3: Marriage and practice
Chapter 4: Maastricht or back to Suriname?
Chapter 5: First book - common diseases in Suriname
Chapter 6: A taste of book writing
Chapter 7: Natural history of Suriname; a new book
Chapter 8 Staying in Maastricht
Chapter 9 More books
Chapter 10. Experiments, slavery and more about Suriname
Chapter 11 Science or jurisdiction?
Chapter 12. New perspectives
Chapter 13. New position and last book
Chapter 14. Freemasonry
Chapter 15. Decline
Chapter 16. Daily work
Chapter 17. French period
Epilogue: Fermin's last will
Bibliography: Archival sources
Fermin's writings
