Dr. John William Polidori (1795-1821) was an English writer and physician. His work The Vampyre is credited with being the first in the genre of vampire fiction. He became a Doctor of Medicine in 1815, at only 19. He became Lord Byron's personal physician, and they traveled through Europe. When he eventually was dismissed by Byron, he returned to England. He died at the age of 25, hounded by debts and depression. Though evidence points to cyanide as his cause of death, the coroner declared his death was due to natural causes.
