Dr. Anthony Relhan
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Dr. Anthony Relhan (ca. 1715-1776) was a fellow of the College of Physicians in Ireland. Dr. Relhan resided for a short period in the sea-side resort town Brighton in Sussex (then known as Brighthelmstone).
He was president of the "King’s and Queen’s College of Physicians in Ireland" in 1755.
From 1758-1767, he had an office on Southampton Street in London[1], and in 1759 he established a medical practice in Brighton.
Dr Anthony Relhan married Lady Hart, widow of Sir William Hart, a banker.
Dr. Anthony Relhan promoted the drinking of mineral waters and seabathing in his short paper A Short History of Brighthelmstone; with Remarks on its Air, an Analysis of its Waters, Particularly of an uncommon Mineral one, long discovered, though but lately used published in 1761.[2] This lead to a susbstantial increase in public interest in drinking mineral water.
Relhan also wrote positively about the soil in the Brighton area, stating that it had "health-giving" properties.
Dr Relhan claimed that drinking the chalybeate spring well water from St. Anne's Well would be followed by an increase in appetite and spirits. This further encouraged visitors to visit the area.[3]
Relhan also authored a treatise on the use of music in medicine, and several other medical publications.
His son, Richard Relhan was a fellow of King's College, and published a renowned account of the plants growing near Cambridge.
The town of Enfield, New Hampshire was first named "Enfield" by settlers from Enfield, Connecticut, but the town was renamed "Relhan" in 1766 to honor Dr. Anthony Relhan. Following the Revolution, the town was renamed "Enfield" in 1784.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=46119
- ^ Relhan's predecessor, the eminent physician Dr. Richard Russell (1687 – 1759), a resident of Lewes and Brighton (which are close to the chalybeate spring of Hove), had advocated drinking seawater.
- ^ Western Road, The Argus Homes for sale in Brighton and Hove and all over Sussex, Wednesday, 30 August 2006
- A Short History of Brighthelmstone; with Remarks on its Air, an Analysis of its Waters, &c, Dr. Anthony Relhan, 1761.
- http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=45438
- http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/SussexArchSoc/SussexArchCol/140/ahds/dissemination/pdf/Berry.pdf
- The Growth of Brighton, E. W. Gilbert, Geographical Journal, Vol. 114, No. 1/3 (Jul. - Sep., 1949), pp. 30-52
- De Arte Medendi apud priscos musices ope atque carminum epistola ad Antonium Relhan, M.D. Editio altera & auctior. Excudebat J. Nichols; Prostant venales apud J. Bowen, 1783. Pp.81
