John Paulitious

John Paulitious (died June 1645) was Edinburgh's first plague doctor.^[1][2][3] He died in June 1645 of bubonic plague within weeks of tending the sick.^[3] At the time, there was a severe epidemic of this disease in Edinburgh;^[1] it's believed that there were only about 60 men around to defend the city at the height of the epidemic.^[4]

His successor was George Rae,^[2][3][4] who was appointed on 13 June 1645.^[4] He was promised an enormous sum of money ("£100 a month"^[5]) for this position, as it was expected that he, too, would die before he could collect; however, Rae survived and spent ten years attempting to collect his promised payment, but it is widely believed that he died without ever receiving it.^[1][4]