Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 07.djvu/421

 the Russian fleet in the Medway, which was suffering severely from fever. He combined with this the charge of the prisoners of war at Chatham, among whom a virulent fever was raging. When he took charge of the hospital ship one surgeon had died, two others were dangerously ill, and fifteen patients had gangrene of the lower limbs. The season was most inclement, snow lay deep, and the prisoners were disorderly; yet Burnett went about his duties fearlessly, going alone among the prisoners, and gradually establishing an improved state of things. On the completion of this service Burnett settled at Chichester as a physician till 1822, when Lord Melville offered him a seat at the victualling board as colleague of Dr. Weir, then chief medical officer of the navy. Later he became physician-general of the navy, and in this capacity introduced most valuable reforms. He first required regular classified returns of diseases from each naval medical officer, thus rendering it possible to obtain accurate information about the health of the navy. He urged the erection of, and largely planned, the Melville Hospital at Chatham for naval patients. He introduced a much more humane treatment of naval lunatics at Haslar than had been previously practised. All the codes of instructions to naval medical officers of hospitals and ships were revised and greatly improved by him. In 1841 the naval medical corps testified their high regard for the benefits he had conferred on the service by presenting him with his full-length portrait by Sir M. A. Shee and a service of plate. He was largely instrumental in securing a better position for assistant-surgeons in the navy. Burnett published comparatively little, his chief writings being ‘An Account of the Bilious Remittent in the Mediterranean Fleet in 1810–13,’ London, 1814; ‘Official Report on the Fever in H.M.S. Bann on the coast of Africa and amongst the Royal Marines in the Island of Ascension,’ London, 1824; and ‘An Account of a Contagious Fever prevailing amongst the Prisoners of War at Chatham,’ London, 1831. Burnett was a fellow of the Royal Society, M.D. of Aberdeen, L.R.C.P. 1825, and fellow 1836. He was knighted on 25 May 1831, appointed physician-in-ordinary to the king on 13 April 1835, and soon after created K.C.H. Queen Victoria made him a K.C.B. in 1850. It was much regretted by the medical profession that Burnett became a patentee on a large scale in connection with his well-known disinfecting fluid, a strong solution of chloride of zinc. His patent fluid for preserving timber, canvas, cordage, &c., was likewise largely used. On his retirement from active service Burnett settled at Chichester, where he died on 16 Feb. 1861.



BURNEY, CHARLES (1726–1814), musician and author, was born at Shrewsbury on 12 April 1726. His grandfather, James MacBurney, lived at Great Hanwood, Shropshire, where (in the latter years of his life) he was land steward to the Earl of Ashburnham. Burney's father, James Burney, was born at Hanwood, and educated at Westminster under Dr. Busby. He subsequently eloped with an actress of the Goodman's Fields Theatre, by whom he had a large family. James MacBurney quarrelled with his son, and at a late age married a servant, by whom he had a son named Joseph, to whom he left all his property. Joseph Burney, however, soon squandered his estate, and afterwards gained his living as a dancing-master. James Burney was twice married, his second wife being a Miss Ann Cooper, an heiress and celebrated beauty. A year after this marriage James Burney adopted the profession of a portrait-painter, and some short time later left Shrewsbury and settled at Chester. Charles Burney and his twin sister Susanna were the youngest children by the second wife. On Burney's parents removing to Chester he was left behind at Shrewsbury under the care of an old nurse, but subsequently he was sent to Chester, and educated at the free school. About 1741 he returned to Shrewsbury and studied music under his eldest half-brother, James, who was organist of St. Mary's, Shrewsbury, from 1735 until his death in 1789. Burney also studied under Baker, the organist of Chester Cathedral, a pupil of Blow. In 1744 he met Arne, who was passing through Chester on his return from Ireland. Arne was so struck by his talent that he offered to take him as a pupil. Burney was accordingly articled to him, and went to live in London with an elder brother named Richard, who was already settled there. He remained under Arne for three years, during which period he contributed some music to Thomson's ‘Alfred’ (Drury Lane, 30 March 1745). In 1747 Burney published six sonatas for two violins and a bass, dedicated to the Earl of Holdernesse. Shortly after he was introduced by Kirkman, the harpsichord maker, to Fulke Greville, who was so charmed by his talent and vivacity that he paid Arne 300l. to cancel his articles, and took the young musician to live with him. During this period of his life Burney laid the foundation of his subsequent success both as a fashionable