Ent , Sir , George , 1604-1689 , physician

Born, 1604; Educated in Wallachia and at Rotterdam under James Beckman; in April 1624 admitted to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge; BA (1627), MA (1631); five years in Padua, then the most celbrated school of medicine in theworld, and took his degree of medicine there, MD (28 April 1636); Incorporated at Oxford (9 November 1638) He was admitted a Candidate of the College of Physicians 8th April, 1639, and a Fellow 25th June, 1639; Styled as 'the ornament of his age' by Goodall, Epistle Dedicatory to historical account of the College of Physician’s proceedings. At a time when all educated men spoke Latin, and most of them with facility, Ent was renowned beyond all his contemporaries for the ease and elegance with which he did so. He was Goulstonian lecturer in 1642. Dr. Ent was Censor no less than twenty-two years; and with three exceptions, viz., 1650, 1652, and 1658, from 1645 to 1669; Registrar from 1655 to 1670; Elect, 1st October, 1657; Consiliarius, 1667, 1668, 1669, and again from 1676 to 1686 included; President, 1670, 1671, 1672, 1673, 1674, 1675; again, in place of Dr. Micklethwait, deceased, 17th August 1682; and for the last time, 24th May, 1684, in place of Dr. Whistler, deceased. He delivered the anatomy lectures at the College in April 1665, and on this occasion was honoured by the presence of Charles II, who knighted him in the Harveian Museum after the lecture. This was a solitary instance of such an honour conferred within the walls of the College.

Although born twenty-six years after him, Ent was a close friend of William Harvey, a man known best for his discovery of the circulation of blood. Ent met Harvey in Venice, shortly after his graduation from Padua. His 'Apologia' was a defense of Harvey's theory of circulation, and Ent is credited with convincing Harvey to release his 'de Generatione Animalium', which was actually edited and published by Ent.

Ent is also known for his correspondence with Cassiano dal Pozzo, who sent Ent fossilized wood specimens, including a tabletop made of petrified wood. Ent showed them to the Royal Society, where they led to increased interest in the origin of fossils.

Sir George Ent was one of the original fellows of the Royal Society, and is named in the first charter as one of the first council members.