John Caius: early English physician, anatomist and epidemiologist

Abstract

This year marks the birth, 500 years ago, of John Caius, a remarkable polymath. As a Greek scholar, physician, epidemiologist, anatomist, medical and academic administrator and generous benefactor, he was an interesting man! Caius was born in Lincoln in 1510. The family name was Keys, which he Latinised into a number of spellings, of which ‘Caius’ is the one in common use.