Nathaniel Dimsdale, FRS (11 April 1748 – 3 July 1811), a British physician and MP who received a Barony of the Russian Empire for his work in Russia on smallpox vaccination.

He was the second son of the Quaker Thomas Dimsdale, a Hertfordshire physician, banker, and MP, and was educated at Eton School. After travelling with his father to St. Petersburg in 1768 to inoculate Catherine the Great and her son, Grand Duke Paul, against smallpox, he, along with his father, received an annuity and was created Baron Dimsdale of the Russian Empire. On his return, he studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, graduating with an MB in 1771.

Nathaniel Dimsdale

He returned to Russia with his father in 1781 to carry out further inoculations within the Russian royal family. He became a partner in the family bank of Baron Dimsdale, Sons, Barnard and Staples, established by his father. When his father retired in 1790, he succeeded to his father's Parliamentary seat for Hertford, holding it until 1802.

Nathaniel Dimsdale

In 1805, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.

Nathaniel Dimsdale

By then, he was not in good health and died on a trip for his health to Brighton in 1811. He was unmarried and left his estate to his sister, Ann Dimsdale. His barony lapsed on his death, but that of his father passed down in the family via his elder brother John.

References

1748 births

1811 deaths

People from Hertfordshire

People educated at Eton College

Barons of the Russian Empire

Alumni of the University of Edinburgh

English bankers

Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies

British MPs 1790–1796

British MPs 1796–1800

Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies

UK MPs 1801–1802

Fellows of the Royal Society