The fascinating story of Francis Hauksbee the Younger, an 18th-century instrument maker and scientific lecturer, has recently come to light thanks to a research analysis conducted by Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Royal Sussex County Hospital researchers. Their study focused on Hauksbee’s 1743 “Experimentum Crucis,” where he proposed a formal comparative study to evaluate the “safety and efficacy” of his medication for venereal disease.
In his pamphlet titled “A Further Account of the Effects of Mr. Hauksbee’s Alterative Medicine,” Hauksbee outlined a plan to compare his treatment against others through a controlled trial. This was a groundbreaking approach in a time when medical trials were rare, and treatments were often unverified by systematic comparison. Hauksbee’s proposal aimed to address the lack of scientific rigor in medical practices of the day, where treatments like mercury-based salivation therapy were common despite their severe side effects.
While there is no evidence to suggest that Hauksbee’s study ever took place, his proposal laid the groundwork for future clinical trials. The systematic principles he outlined, including patient consent, controlled variables, and transparent documentation of outcomes, set a precedent for modern evidence-based medicine. The parallels between Hauksbee’s proposed trial and James Lind’s scurvy trial in 1747, often considered the first modern clinical trial, highlight the significance of Hauksbee’s contributions to the evolution of medical research.
Despite accusations of quackery and skepticism from the medical community, Hauksbee’s forward-thinking approach to clinical testing and comprehensive outcome reporting transparency has earned him a place in the history of evidence-based medicine. The recent analysis sheds light on this obscure figure and his role in pioneering the modern clinical trial.
For more information on this study, you can refer to the research article titled “‘Experimentum Crucis’: Hauksbee the Younger’s ‘decisive experiment’ for comparing the ‘Safety and Efficacy’ of new medicines (1743),” published in Notes and Records: the Royal Society Journal of the History of Science in 2025. The DOI for the article is 10.1098/rsnr.2024.0033.
This article is a testament to the importance of historical research in uncovering hidden gems in the evolution of science and medicine. Francis Hauksbee the Younger may have been an obscure figure in his time, but his contributions to the field of clinical trials have left a lasting impact on the way we approach medical research today.
