Edward Hare | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 27 December 1812 |
| Died | 13 February 1897 (1897-02-14) (aged 84) Bath, Somerset, England |
| Occupation(s) | Surgeon, writer |
Edward Hare (27 December 1812 – 13 February 1897) was an English surgeon and writer. He served as Director-General of Hospitals inBengal, India. Hare is best known for his medical work in usingquinine for treatment ofmalaria fevers. He was also avegetarianism activist.
Edward Hare was born inStanhoe. He was educated atKing's College London andMiddlesex Hospital.[1] He took theM.R.C.S in 1837. Hare became a member of theRoyal College of Surgeons in 1938.[2] He was commissioned as Assistant Surgeon inBengal in 1839. In March 1853, he became Surgeon and Surgeon Major in 1859.[1]
Hare served during theFirst Anglo-Afghan War (1840–1842) atKabul and under GeneralRobert Sale atJalalabad.[1] He received Afghan and Jalalabad medals. In 1852, during theSecond Anglo-Burmese War he was in medical charge of theFirst European Bengal Fusiliers.[1] He was present at the recapture ofPegu and received the medal. He also served in medical charge of theSecond European Bengal Fusiliers during thesiege of Delhi and received the medal.[1] Hare was Inspector-General of Hospitals, Bengal in theIndian Medical Service until 1865.[3]
Hare married Mary Ann Wood in 1863.[4] Hare's daughter,Dorothy Christian Hare was a physician.[3][5] He died inBath on 13 February 1897.[1] His letters and notes were edited intoMemoirs of Edward Hare by his son and published in 1900.[2][6][7]
Hare experimented withquinine for treatment ofmalaria fevers.[7] Hare who had observed military action with the British forces in Afghanistan in 1839, used quinine to treat soldiers near the Nepal border.[7] In 1847, Hare published his findings in a pamphlet which caused a great sensation throughout the medical community in India.[8][9] The Calcutta Medical Board obtained a sanction fromLord Dalhousie to bring Hare to Calcutta and place him in charge of a wing at the General Hospital. In a year, Hare had reduced the death-rate from fevers to one-twelfth of its average rate for the previous twenty years. Hare's system of using quinine to treat fever in malaria was supported by the Medical Board and was used throughout India.[8] Over a period of nine years, he treated 7,000 European soldiers with quinine and recorded a mortality rate of less than 0.5 percent.[10]
Hare was a vegetarian. He served as Vice-President of theVegetarian Society.[11] Historian James Gregory has noted that Hare's diet consisted of "two daily meals of toasted or unleavened bread, weak tea, vegetables cooked in butter, farinaceous puddings and fruit."[12]
In 1873, Hare authored a biography of vegetarian physicianWilliam Lambe.[11][13]
