Stewart Ranken Douglas facts for kids

Stewart Ranken Douglas (born February 12, 1871, died January 20, 1936) was an important British scientist. He studied diseases, bacteria (tiny living things that can cause illness), and how the body fights off infections. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a big honor for scientists.

Early Life and Medical Training

Stewart Douglas went to Haileybury College for his education. After that, he studied medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London, finishing his medical training in 1896.

In 1898, he joined the Indian Medical Service, which was a medical group that worked in India. All doctors in this service had to learn about diseases at Netley Hospital. There, he met Dr. Almroth Wright, a famous scientist.

Research in India and China

In 1899, Dr. Wright asked Douglas to go with him to India. They were part of a special group investigating the plague, a serious disease. Douglas and another doctor, H. J. Walton, spent about five months studying the plague in different parts of India. During this time, Douglas often got sick with malaria.

In 1900, Douglas went to China as a doctor for the Gaselee Expedition during the Boxer Rebellion. While in China, he became sick with a serious stomach illness called amoebic dysentery and developed a liver problem. Because of his health issues, he had to leave the Indian Medical Service.

Working on Vaccines in London

After returning to the UK, Douglas joined Almroth Wright again at St Mary's Hospital. They worked together on vaccine therapy, which is about using vaccines to treat or prevent diseases. In 1909, Douglas became a teacher at St Mary's Hospital Medical School.

Contributions During World War I

When World War I began, it became hard to get certain ingredients, like peptones, from Germany. Peptones were crucial for growing bacteria in labs, especially for making vaccines against typhoid fever.

Within just a few days, Douglas created a new and even better way to make peptone medium for growing bacteria. He also worked on vaccines against typhoid and other infections. In 1916, he helped wounded soldiers at St Mary's Hospital by developing a successful method for skin grafting, where healthy skin is moved to cover a wound.

Leading Medical Research Efforts

In 1921, Stewart Douglas became the director of the Department of Bacteriology and Experimental Pathology at the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR). He also became the deputy director of the NIMR under Sir Henry Dale.

As the head of his department, Douglas guided the research of many other scientists. They studied things like how the body fights off diseases (immunology) and viruses (virology), especially those that cause dysentery. Douglas also found a new way to extract bacteria using acetone. This discovery helped other scientists, like Georges Dreyer, create better ways to grow bacteria and improve the tuberculin skin test for tuberculosis.

Advising the Government

Stewart Douglas was one of a few expert scientists who secretly advised the British government. This happened when a newspaper reported that German agents might be trying to use bacteria as weapons. In 1934, Douglas, along with Professor John Ledingham and Professor William Topley, wrote an important report called the 'Memorandum on Bacteriological Warfare.' This report became a key document for the government's discussions about biological warfare.

Personal Life

In 1920, Stewart Douglas married Frances Miriam Clare Nias in Kensington. She had a daughter from her previous marriage, so Douglas gained a step-daughter.

Awards and Honours

• 1917 — Chevalier de l’Ordre de la Couronne de Belgique (a Belgian honor)
• 1922 — Fellow of the Royal Society
• 1933 — Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians