Rutty wurde als Sohn eines gleichnamigen Kaufmanns, unweit von Wiltshire geboren. Er stammte aus einer alteingesessenen Familie, welche der religiösen Gemeinschaft der Quäcker angehörte. In jenem Umkreis erhielt er seine erste Prägung und Ausbildung. 1719 begann er in London ein Studium der Medizin aufzunehmen. Angezogen vom großen Ruf eines Herman Boerhaave, immatrikulierte er sich am 14. März 1722 an der Universität Leiden. In Leiden promovierte er am 23. Juli 1723 mit dem Thema de Diarrhoea zum Doktor der Medizin. 1724 ließ er sich im irischen Dublin nieder, wo er am dortigen Hospital bis zu seinem Lebensende wirkte. Sein Leichnam wurde auf dem St. Stephen’s Green Friedhof begraben.
In Dublin entwickelte Rutty eine umfangreiche Autorentätigkeit. So befasste er sich unter anderem mit der Geschichte der Quäcker in Irland, in der Zeit von 1653 bis 1751. Er stellte die Mineralwasserquellen der britischen Inseln dar und untersuchte deren Inhaltsstoffe. Auch waren die gegenseitigen Wechselbeziehungen zwischen Wetter und den auftretenden Krankheiten Gegenstand seiner Untersuchungen. Ebenfalls wäre hier, im medizinischen Kontext, ein Werk in lateinischer Sprache zu nennen, worin er sich mit den medizinischen Drogen beschäftigte. 1765 beschrieb er den Karamellartigen Geruch des Rückstandes von verdampften diabetischen Urin und den Zuckergeschmack desselben. Somit gab er weiteren Aufschluss über die Zuckerkrankheit. Erwähnenswert ist auch das 1772 erschienenes zweibändiges Werk über die Naturgeschichte des Gebietes um Dublin. 1756 wurde Rutty Mitbegründer der medizinisch philosophischen Gesellschaft in Dublin (Medico-Philosophical Society). William Henry Harvey benannte nach ihm einige Arten der Akanthusgewächse.
Werke
A Dissertation on Laurel Water. In: Philosophical Transactions. 1730
Extract of a Letter from John Rutty, M. D. to Dr. Mortimer, Sec. R. S., concerning the Poison of Laurel Water. In: Philosophical Transactions. 1732
A History of the Rise and Progress of the People called Quackers in Ireland from 1653 to 1700. First compiled at the Request of their national Meeting, by Thomas Wright of Cork. Revised, enlarged and continued to 1751. Dublin 1751, London 1800 (Online)
A Treatise Concerning Christian Discipline, compiled with the Advice of a National Meeting of the People called Quackers, held in Dublin in the Year 1746. Dublin 1752
Account of the Copper Springs lately discovered in Pennsylvania. In: Philosophical Transactions. 1756
A methodical synopsis of mineral waters of Ireland. London 1757
An Essay towards a natural, experimental, and medicinal History of the Mineral Waters of Ireland; wherein, the several impregnating Minerals being investigated by a Series of Experiments, each Water is reduced to its proper Class. The Virtues of such as have been used are given from practical Observations. Divers new Waters, especially of the sulphureous and vitriolic Kind, are enumerated, and more accurately described than hitherto. The whole illustrated with Tables, exhibiting a clear View of the Experiments in concert, and a Comparison of the Irish to the English and other foreign Waters. Dublin 1757
Thoughts on the different Impregnations of Mineral Waters, more particularly concerning the Existence of Sulphur in some of them. In: Philosophical Transactions. 1759
Of the Vitriolic Waters of Amlwch, in the Isle of Anglesey; with occasional Remarks on the Hartfell Spaw, described in the first Volume of the Edinburgh Essays and Observations, Physical and Literary, and in the fortyninth Volume of the Philosophical Transactions; and their Comparison with other Waters of the same Class. In: Philosophical Transactions. 1760
The Analysis of Milk and the different Species thereof.. Dublin 1762
The Argument of Sulphur or no Sulphur in Waters discussed; with a Comparison of the Waters of Aix-la-Chapelle, Bath, and Bristol. Wherein the Sulphur is restored to the two first, and the Contents of the last arc ascertained with a somewhat greater Degree of Precision than in the Essay of the late Adept, and the injured Credit of divers other salutiferous Springs is vindicated, from the Evidence of that Author's own Experiments, corroborated by many others; being the Subjects of a Correspondence between the Author of the Methodical Synopsis of Mineral Waters and W. R. Esq., and some others. And to this is subjoined a more explicit Account of the Nitre of the Ancients. Dublin, 1762
A chronological History of the Weather and Seasons, and of the prevailing Diseases in Dublin, with their various Periods, Successions, and Revolutions, during the Space of forty Years; with a comparative View of the Difference of the Irish Climate and Diseases, and those of England and other Countries. London 1770, 2. Bd. (Online)
An Essay towards a Natural History of the County of Dublin, accommodated to the noble Designs of the Dublin Society; affording a summary View, first, of its Vegetables, with their mechanical and economical Uses, and as Food for Men and Cattle; a Catalogue of our vegetable Poisons; and a Botanical Calendar, exhibiting the respective Months in which most of the Simples in Use are found in Flower. Second, of its Animals. Third, of its Soil, and the State of its Agriculture; its Fossils, Mines, Minerals, and some lately discovered Mineral Waters, particularly the Sulphureous Water at Lucan, and its Medicinal Virtues, from practical Observation. Fourth, of the Nature of the Climate, from the Diaries of the Weather kept in Dublin for fifty Years past: interspersed with Meteorogical and CEconomical Observations. Dublin 1772, 2. Bde.
Materia Medica, antiqua et nova, repurgata et illustrata, sive De Medicaminvum simplicium officinalium Facultatibus. Tractatus Authore Johanne Rutty, M. D. Exhibens,
I. Simplicia nobis veteribusque communia de quibus fere quicquid veri aut verosimile apud Gnecos veteres et Recentiores Latinos et Arabes reperitur, Religitur, ennaratur, et Notis illustratur.
II. Simplicia Dubia et noviter detecta quorum Vires indagantur, et Observationibus atque Experimentis Recentiomm illustratur. Adjectis Classibus simplicium secundum Qualitates et Eperationes sensibiles. Rotterdam 1775
Observations on the London and Edinburgh dispensatories. In: Anthologia Hibernica. Folge II, London, 1776, S. 259
Thoughts on the different impregnation of mineral waters, more particularly concerning the existence of sulphur in some of them. In: Philosophical Transactions. 1759, XI, S. 275
A Spiritual Diary. 1777
A Spiritual Diary and Soliloquies. London 1796 (Online)
Literatur
August Hirsch: Biographisches Lexikon der hervorragenden Aerzte aller Zeiten und Völker. Urban & Schwarzenberg, Wien und Leipzig, 1887, Bd. 5, S. 130
J. Osborne: Memoir of Dr. Rutty. Illustrious Physicans and Suregons in Ireland. In: The Dublin Quarterly Journal of Medical Science. 1847, Band 3, S. 555 (Online, englisch)
Sidney Lee: DICTIONARY OF NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY. Smith Elder & Co at Macmillan Company, New York-London, 1897, Bd. 1, S. 31 (englisch)
A. Dechambre: Dictionnaire encyclopédique des sciences médicales. G. Masson & P. Asselin, Paris, 1877, 5. Bd., S. 814 (französisch)
Einzelnachweise
↑Harold Fassnidge: Dr. John Rutty of Melksham Wiltshire. In: E. Charles Nelson: Occasional Paper. Botanic Gardens, Dublin, 1996, No. 8.
↑ W. N. du Rieu: Album Studiosorum Academiae Lugduno Batavae MDLXXV - MDCCCLXXV. Martin Nijhoff, Den Haag, 1925, S.p. 879