Which organization founded in London in 1662 promoted scientific enquiry into medicine?

• A. The Royal Society
• B. The British Museum
• C. The Royal Academy
• D. The College of Physicians

Answer: (A)

The Royal Society is the organization that fits this description. It’s a London group formed in the 1660s and gained formal royal status in 1662, built around advancing knowledge through observation, experiments, and discussion. In medicine, this meant encouraging researchers to test ideas, share results, and publish findings, helping move medical understanding away from solely relying on ancient authorities toward empirical evidence. Its activities, including demonstrations and the dissemination of knowledge through early scientific journals, fostered a culture of inquiry that encompassed medical questions as part of broader natural philosophy.

The other options don’t align with this focus or timeline. The British Museum, established later, centers on collecting and education rather than promoting medical science. The Royal Academy arose to support the arts, not medicine. The College of Physicians existed long before but served as a professional body for licensing and training doctors, not as a broad promoter of scientific enquiry into medicine.