Editing John Caius

{{Short description|English physician (1510–1573)}}
{{For|the poet|John Caius the Elder}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name         = John Caius
| image        = John Caius G&C.jpg
| image_size   = 
| birth_date   = 6 October 1510| birth_name=John Kays 
| birth_place  = [[Norwich]], [[Kingdom of England|England]]
| death_date   = {{death date and age|df=yes|1573|07|29|1510|10|06}}
| death_place  = [[London]], England
| nationality  = English
| field        = [[Medicine]]
| workplaces   = [[Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge]]
| alma_mater   = [[Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge|Gonville Hall, Cambridge]]<br/>[[University of Padua]]
| known_for    =Second founder of [[Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge]]
| academic_advisors = [[Johannes Baptista Montanus|Montanus]]<br/>[[Vesalius]]
}}
'''John Caius''' (born '''John Kays''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|iː|z}};{{efn|''Caius'' is a Latinised version of ''Kees'' or ''Keys''. The name of the college is today pronounced as 'Keys'.}} 6 October 1510 – 29 July 1573), also known as '''Johannes Caius''' and '''Ioannes Caius''', was an English [[physician]], and second founder of [[Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge]]. Scholar and physician to [[Edward VI]] and [[Mary I of England]].

==Biography==

===Early years===
Caius was born in [[Norwich]] and was educated at [[Norwich School]].<ref>{{cite book|title=A Comprehensive History of Norwich|first=A. D.|last=Bayne|year=1869|publisher=Jarrold and Sons|url=https://archive.org/details/acomprehensiveh00bayngoog|page=726}}</ref> In 1529, he was admitted as a student at [[Gonville Hall]], Cambridge, founded by [[Edmund Gonville]] in 1348, where he seems to have mainly studied [[divinity (academic discipline)|divinity]].

After graduating in 1533,<ref>{{acad|id=CS529J|name=Caius, John}}</ref> he visited Italy, where he studied under [[Johannes Baptista Montanus|Montanus]] and [[Vesalius]] at [[Padua]]. In 1541 he took his degree as a physician at the [[University of Padua]].<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Caius, John|volume=4|pages=960–961}}</ref>

In 1543 he visited several parts of Italy, Germany and France and then returned to England. Upon his return from Italy he Latinised his surname which was somewhat fashionable at the time.

===Career===
[[File:Gate of Honour Caius Court.jpg|thumb|The Gate of Honour, Caius Court, [[Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge]]]]
[[File:Cambridge University, Gate of Honour, Gonville & Caius College.jpg|thumb|Gate of Honour, Gonville & Caius College]]
Caius was a physician in London in 1547, and was admitted as a fellow of the [[Royal College of Physicians|College of Physicians]], of which he was for many years president.<ref name="EB1911"/>

In 1551 he was attending in [[Shrewsbury]] when a notable outbreak of [[sweating sickness]] occurred in the town; the following year, after his return to London, he published ''A Boke or Counseill Against the Disease Commonly Called the Sweate, or Sweatyng Sicknesse'' (1552), which became the main source of knowledge of this disease, now understood to be [[influenza]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=John Caius {{!}} British physician {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Caius |access-date=20 April 2023 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 1557 Caius, at that time physician to [[Mary I of England|Queen Mary]], enlarged the foundation of his old college, changed the name from "Gonville Hall" to "Gonville and Caius College", and endowed it with several considerable estates, adding an entire new court at the expense of £1,834 ({{Inflation|UK|1834|1557|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}). He accepted the mastership of the college 24 January 1559 on the death of [[Thomas Bacon (academic)|Thomas Bacon]], and held it until about a month before his own death.<ref name="EB1911"/>

[[File:Cambridge University, Gonville & Caius College, from King's Parade.jpg|thumb|Gonville & Caius College, from [[King's Parade]]]]
He was physician to [[Edward VI of England|Edward VI]], [[Mary I of England|Queen Mary]] and [[Elizabeth I of England|Queen Elizabeth]].<ref name="EB1911"/> From this position he was dismissed in 1568 on account of his adherence to the [[Roman Catholic]] faith. He was incongruously accused both of [[atheism]], and of keeping secretly a collection of ornaments and [[vestment]]s for Roman Catholic use. The latter were found and burned in the college court.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

He was elected nine times president of the College of Physicians, an account of which, ''Annales collegii medicorum 1520-1565'', he left in manuscript.

He returned to Cambridge from London for a few days in June 1573, about a month before his death, and resigned the mastership to [[Thomas Legge]], a tutor at [[Jesus College, Cambridge|Jesus College]]. He died at his London house, in [[St Bartholomew's Hospital]], on 29 July 1573, but his body was brought to Cambridge, and buried in the chapel under the monument which he had designed.<ref name="EB1911"/>

The question of whether he was the inspiration for the character of Dr Caius in [[Shakespeare]]'s play the ''[[Merry Wives of Windsor]]'' has been discussed at length by [[Arnold McNair, 1st Baron McNair]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Lord McNair |title=Why is the doctor in the Merry Wives of Windsor called Caius? |journal=Med. Hist. |date=October 1968 |volume=13 |issue=4 |pages=311–339 |pmid=4899813 |pmc=1033978 |doi=10.1017/s0025727300014769}}</ref>

==Legacy==
[[File:Royal College of Physicians - Caduceus.jpg|thumb|left|Silver [[caduceus]] presented by Caius to the College of Physicians]]
Caius was a learned, active and benevolent man. In 1557 he erected a monument in [[St Paul's Cathedral]] to the memory of [[Thomas Linacre]]. In 1564, he obtained a grant for Gonville and Caius College to take the bodies of two malefactors annually for [[dissection]]; he was thus an important pioneer in advancing the science of [[anatomy]]. He probably devised, and certainly presented, the silver [[caduceus]] now in the possession of Caius College as part of its insignia. He first gave it to the College of Physicians, and afterwards presented the London College with another.<ref name="EB1911"/>

[[File:1. De antiquitate Cantebrigiensis Academiæ libri duo. Aucti ab ipso authore plurimum. In quorum secundo de Oxoniensis quoq; Gymnasii antiquitate disseritur, & Cantebrigiense longe? eo antiqu - Spine (low resolution) (C24a27).jpg|thumb|70px|''De antiquitate Cantebrigiensis Academiæ'' by John Caius]]

==Works==
Caius was also a pioneer naturalist, prepared to make his own observations about nature rather than simply relying on accepted authorities. He was ready to make journeys about the country to see and record unusual animals. As such he could be considered also a pioneer of [[zoology]], not yet recognised as a separate science.

He corresponded with the Swiss naturalist [[Conrad Gesner]], with whom he had made friends while returning from Padua. He wrote a study of British dogs to send to Gesner as a contribution (not used) to Gesner's ''[[Historiae animalium (Gesner)|Historiae animalium]]'', and also sent Gesner drawings of dogs, which were printed in later editions of Gesner's work.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ash |first=Edward C. |title=Dogs: their History and Development |publisher=Ernest Benn |location=London |date=1927}}</ref> Caius' Catholic religious convictions did not prevent his friendship with the [[Protestant]] Gesner (indeed, the ''Historiae Animalium'', to which Caius contributed, was under [[Pope Paul IV]] placed on the [[Roman Catholic Church]]'s [[Index Librorum Prohibitorum|list of prohibited books]]).<ref name ="gesner2">{{cite web|url= http://www.strangescience.net/gesner.htm|title=Conran Gesner biography|access-date= 17 September 2008 | first=Michon |last=Scott |website=Strange Science}}</ref>

His last literary production was a [[University of Cambridge#History|history of Cambridge University]], ''Historia Cantabrigiensis Academiae'' (London, 1574).

==Bibliography==
{{wikisource author}}

*''Annals of the College from 1555 to 1572''
*Translation of several of Galen's works, printed at different times abroad.
*''Hippocrates de Medicamentis'', first discovered and published by Dr Caius; also ''De Ratsone Vicius'' (Lov. 1556, 8vo)
*''De Mendeti Methodo'' (Basel, 1554; London, 1556, Svo)
** Reprint: {{Cite book|title=De Mendendi Methodo|language=la|volume=Liber I,II|last=Caius|first=John|publisher=University Press|orig-year=1556|year=1912|pages=1–56|location=Cambridge|url=https://archive.org/details/worksofjohncaius00caiuuoft/page/n112/mode/2up|editor-last=Roberts|editor-first=E. S.|access-date=7 September 2020}}
*''A Boke or Counseill against the Disease Called the Sweate'', London 1552
** Reprint: {{Cite book|title=A Boke or Counseill against the Disease Called the Sweate or Sweatyng Sicknesse|language=en|last=Caius|first=John|publisher=University Press|orig-year=1552|year=1912|pages=1–36|location=Cambridge|url=https://archive.org/details/worksofjohncaius00caiuuoft/page/n228/mode/2up|editor-last=Roberts|editor-first=E. S.|access-date=7 September 2020}}
**Reprint: Caius, John, ''A Boke or Counseill against the Disease Called the Sweate'', London 1552. Facsimile ed., 1937, Scholars' Facsimiles & Reprints, {{ISBN|978-0-8201-1182-7}}.
*''De Ephemera Britannica'' (''Account of the Sweating Sickness in England'') (London, 1556, 1721)
** Reprint: {{Cite book|title=De Ephemera Britannica|language=la|volume=Liber unus|last=Caius|first=John|publisher=University Press|orig-year=1554|year=1912|pages=57–115|location=Cambridge|url=https://archive.org/details/worksofjohncaius00caiuuoft/page/n168/mode/2up|editor-last=Roberts|editor-first=E. S.|access-date=7 September 2020}}
*''History of the University of Cambridge'' (London, 1568, 8vo; 1574, 4to, in Latin)
** Reprint: {{Cite book|title=Historiae Cantebrigiensis Academie|language=la|volume=Liber I,II|last=Caius|first=John|publisher=University Press|orig-year=1574|year=1912|pages=1–116|location=Cambridge|url=https://archive.org/details/worksofjohncaius00caiuuoft/page/228/mode/2up|editor-last=Roberts|editor-first=E. S.|access-date=7 September 2020}}
*''De Thermis Britannicis''; but it is doubtful whether this work was ever printed
*''De Rariorum animalium atque stirpium historia, libellus.''(''Of Some Rare Plants and Animals'') (London, 1570)
** Reprint: {{Cite book|title=De Rariorum animalium atque stirpium historia, Liber unus|language=la|last=Caius|first=John|publisher=University Press|orig-year=1570|year=1912|pages=23–65|location=Cambridge|url=https://archive.org/details/worksofjohncaius00caiuuoft/page/n632/mode/2up|editor-last=Roberts|editor-first=E. S.|access-date=7 September 2020}}
*** Digital text: {{Gutenberg|no=27655|name=De Rariorum Animalium atque Stirpium Historia|bullet=none}}
*''De Canibus Britannicis'' (1570, 1729)
** Reprint: {{Cite book|title=De Canibus Britannicis|language=la|last=Caius|first=John|publisher=University Press|orig-year=1570|year=1912|pages=1–19|location=Cambridge|url=https://archive.org/details/worksofjohncaius00caiuuoft/page/n608/mode/2up|editor-last=Roberts|editor-first=E. S.|access-date=7 September 2020}}
**''Of Englishe Dogges: The Diuersities, the Names, the Natures, and the Properties'' (London, 1576).
** Reprint: {{Cite book|title=Of Englishe Dogges: The Diuersities, the Names, the Natures, and the Properties|language=en|last=Caius|first=John|translator-last1=Fleming|translator-first1=Abraham|publisher=University Press|orig-year=1576|year=1912|pages=1–47|location=Cambridge|url=https://archive.org/details/worksofjohncaius00caiuuoft/page/73/mode/2up|editor-last=Roberts|editor-first=E. S.|access-date=7 September 2020}}
*''De Libris suis: De Libris propriis'' (London, 1570).
** Reprint: {{Cite book|title=De Libris suis|volume=1|language=la|last=Caius|first=John|publisher=University Press|orig-year=1570|year=1912|pages=67–111|location=Cambridge|url=https://archive.org/details/worksofjohncaius00caiuuoft/page/n674/mode/2up|editor-last=Roberts|editor-first=E. S.|access-date=7 September 2020}}
*''De Pronunciatione Graecae et Latinae Linguae'' (London, 1574)
** Reprint: {{Cite book|title=De Pronunciatione Graecae et Latinae Linguae cum scriptione nova libellus|language=la|last=Caius|first=John|publisher=University Press|orig-year=1574|year=1912|pages=1–19|location=Cambridge|url=https://archive.org/details/worksofjohncaius00caiuuoft/page/n720/mode/2up|editor-last=Roberts|editor-first=E. S.|access-date=7 September 2020}}
*** Digital text: {{Gutenberg|no=26570|name=De Pronunciatione Graecae & Latinae Linguae|bullet=none}}

==See also==
* [[Thomas Caius]], [[Master of University College, Oxford]] (1561–1572)
* [[Bloodhound#History|Bloodhound]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |first=John |last=Venn |title=Biographical History of Gonville and Caius College |author-link=John Venn |date=1897 |publisher=University Press |location=Cambridge |url=https://archive.org/details/biographicalhist01venn}}
* {{cite journal | last=Nutton | first=V | year=1985 | title=John Caius and the Eton Galen: medical philology in the Renaissance | journal=Medizinhistorisches Journal | volume=20 | issue=3 | pages=227–52 | pmid=11616032}}
* {{cite journal | last=Nutton | first=V |date=October 1979
 | title=John Caius and the Linacre tradition | journal=Medical History | volume=23 | issue=4 | pages=373–91 | pmid=390265 | pmc=1082578 | doi=10.1017/s0025727300052030}}
* {{cite journal | last=Cooke | first=A M |date=July 1973
 | title=Dr John Caius, 1510-1573 | journal=Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London | volume=7 | issue=4 | pages=365–71 | pmid=4577633| pmc=5368824 }}
* {{cite journal | last=Alberti | first=F |date=October 1961
 | title=Anatomy in London. Anatomic teaching in London and John Caius, student of the Padua School before Harvey | journal=Minerva Med. | volume=52 | pages=Varia 1893–6 | pmid=13860128 |language=it}}
* {{cite journal | last=O'Malley | first=C D |date=April 1955
 | title=The relations of John Caius with Andreas Vesalius and some incidental remarks on the Giunta Galen and on Thomas Geminus | journal=Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences | volume=10 | issue=2 | pages=147–72 | pmid=14367793 | doi=10.1093/jhmas/X.2.147}}
* {{cite journal | last=Wohlfarth | first=P |date=December 1954
 | title=[John Caius and his time.] | journal=Deutsches Medizinisches Journal | volume=5 | issue=23–24 | pages=689–93 | pmid=14352903 |language=de}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-aca}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Thomas Bacon (academic)|Thomas Bacon]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Master of [[Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge|Gonville and Caius College]]|years=1559–1573}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Thomas Legge]]}}
{{s-end}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050321105235/http://www.cai.cam.ac.uk/college/past/ingram/historyjcaius.php John Caius] on the [http://www.cai.cam.ac.uk/ Gonville and Caius College website]
* {{Gutenberg author |id=32107 | name=John Caius}}
* {{Internet Archive author |sname=John Caius}}
* {{Librivox author |id=15555}}
* {{Cite book|title=The works of John Caius, M.D., second founder of Gonville and Caius College and master of the college, 1559-1573|last=Caius|first=John|publisher=University Press|year=1912|location=Cambridge|url=https://archive.org/details/worksofjohncaius00caiuuoft/page/n7/mode/2up|last2=Venn|first2=John|editor-last=Roberts|editor-first=E. S.|access-date=7 September 2020}} (this anthology lacks global pagination)

{{Gonville and Caius Masters}}
{{Presidents of the Royal College of Physicians}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Caius, John}}
[[Category:Academics from Norwich]]
[[Category:People educated at Norwich School]]
[[Category:Alumni of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Fellows of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Founders of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Masters of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:History of anatomy]]
[[Category:University of Padua alumni]]
[[Category:16th-century English medical doctors]]
[[Category:1510 births]]
[[Category:1573 deaths]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Royal College of Physicians]]
[[Category:Medical doctors from Norwich]]
[[Category:Founders of colleges of the University of Cambridge]]