William Stark (physician)

William Stark
Born1740
Died23 February 1770
London
NationalityEnglish
Scientific career
Fieldsphysician

William Stark (1740[1] or 1741–1770) was an English physician and medical pioneer who investigated scurvy by experimenting on himself with fatal consequences.[1][2] He devised 24 restrictive diets, such as bread and water with a little sugar for thirty-one days, but died after only eight months whilst living exclusively on honey puddings and Cheshire cheese. Although he was experimenting with diet restriction, autopsy findings suggest that he died from a phaeochromocytoma.[3]

  1. ^ a b Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, William Stark biography
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference ABC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Doyle, Leslie (August 2000). "William Stark (1740–1770): His Life, Manuscript and Death". Journal of Medical Biography. 8 (3): 146–148. doi:10.1177/096777200000800304. ISSN 0967-7720. PMID 10954922. S2CID 20247640.