Note 6 — Chapter IV

The learned Librarian of the College of Physicians in a letter to me, elicited by the first edition of "The Book About Doctors," observes on this point: "Sir Hans Sloane is commonly stated to have been the first medical baronet, but I think incorrectly. Sir Edmund Greaves, M. D., a Fellow of the College, who died 11th Nov., 1680, is said, and I am disposed to think with truth, to have been created a Baronet at Oxford in 1645. Anthony A. Wood it is true calls him a 'pretended baronet,' but he was acknowledged to be a true and veritable one by his colleagues of our college, and considering the jealousy of physicians, which is not quite so great by the way as you seem to think, this is no small testimony in favour of my belief. In the 5th edition of Guillim's Heraldry he is made to be the 450th baronet from the first institution of the order, and is placed between William de Borcel of Amsterdam and George Carteret of Jersey. If you think the matter worthy of investigation you may turn to Nash's Worcestershire, vol. i., p. 198."