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Hugh Chamberlen the elder ( – after 1720) was an English royal physician, obstetrician and writer on finance.
In 1668 Chamberlen had a project for ridding London of bubonic plague. He acquired a reputation in his profession, more especially as a man-midwife, and on the petition of his father he obtained, in February 1673, the reversion of Sir John Hinton's place as physician in ordinary to the king. The office fell to him the following October. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in April 1681.
In March 1688 the Royal College of Physicians, on the information of Walter Charleton, took action against Chamberlen for the "illegal and evil" practice of medicine. He continued, however, to enjoy an extensive business at court, while he was selected by James II to attend Mary of Modena in her confinements. At the birth of Prince James Francis Edward Stuart, on 10 June 1688, Chamberlen came too late to be present. He later wrote a letter to the Electress Sophia of Hanover on the circumstances, dated from the Hague on 4 October 1713.
Chamberlen's politics were those of the Whigs. George Wingrove Cooke considered that Chamberlen had suffered for his political principles. He had a general pardon issued in June 1686. A Pardon to Hugh Chamberlain of all Treasons, misprisons of Treason, Insurrection, Kebellions, & other Crimes and Offenses by him committed before the first day of June instant, and of all Indictments, Conviccons, Paines and fforfeitures by reason thereof: With such Clauses and non obstantes as are usuall in Pardons of like nature (Docquet Books, Signet, Record Office).
Chamberlen ultimately went to Amsterdam, where he practised for several years. He parted with the family secret of the midwifery forceps to the Dutch surgeon Hendrik van Roonhuisen. He was still alive in November 1720.
In 1685 Chamberlen published Manuale Medicum: or a small Treatise of the Art of Physick in general and of Vomits and the Jesuits Powder in particular, London, 1685. This book was written for a son sent to the East Indies. Professional colleagues judged him from it an .
Chamberlen's last medical work was A few Queries relating to the Practice of Physick (1694). A few Queries relating to the Practice of Physick, with remarks upon some of them, modestly proposed to the serious consideration of Mankind, in order to their information how their lives and healths (which are so necessary, and therefore ought to be so dear to them) may be better preserved, London, 1694. It added little to the Manuale Medicum, but touched on preventive medicine with A Proposal for the better securing, of health, intended in the year 1689 and still ready to be humbly offered to the Consideration of the Honourable Houses of Parliament. He also published The Great Advantages of both Kingdoms of Scotland and England, by an Union. By a Friend to Britain (1702).
In December 1693 Chamberlen laid his plan before the House of Commons, and petitioned to be heard. A committee was appointed which reported favourably; but was ignored. Two years later the project was revived in a modified form; and bill passed both houses and received the royal assent on 27 April 1696. Immediately afterwards, however, the parliament was prorogued. Chamberlen was mocked, and in March 1699, went to Scotland. In 1700 he was urging the latest version of his land bank scheme on the Parliament of Scotland, in a pamphlet A Few Proposals humbly recommending .... the Establishing a Land-Credit in this Kingdom.
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