He completed his medical education at home, and entered the army as an Assistant-Surgeon in 1806;[1] present as surgeon, 58th foot, at the Battle of Salamanca; and afterwards held several Peninsular appointments.

In 1822–26, he studied physiology and medicine at Paris, and there read several original papers before the Academy of Sciences and the Académie Nationale de Médecine on the influence of atmospheric pressure on various functions of the body.

The experiments on which these were based were repeated before Cuvier, Duméril, Laennec, Cruvelhier, and other eminent men of science, and much commended.

In 1828–29, he acted as English member with a commission of French doctors which visited Gibraltar to report on the causes of an epidemic of yellow fever there in 1828.

In 1828–29, he acted as English member with Nicolas Chervin, Pierre Louis, and Armand Trousseau (a commission of French doctors) which visited Gibraltar to report on the causes of an epidemic of yellow fever there in 1828.