ABSTRACT
The Society was conceived in December 1906, when James Cantlie FRCS (1851–1926) 1 remarked to Dr George Carmichael Low MRCP (1872–1952) 2 (see Chapter 8), after they had met for a joint consultation on a patient, ‘What do you think of a Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene?’. Low replied that he considered the idea excellent, and they agreed to take soundings from others with an interest in tropical medicine. Both Cantlie and Low were subsequently to become presidents. Low approached: Sir Patrick Manson (1844–1922) 3 , Dr F M Sandwith (1853–1918) 4 , Dr C W Daniels (1862–1927) 5 and others. Cantlie subsequently wrote, or spoke to, the Director-General of the Army and the Navy – Lt Gen Sir Alfred Keogh (1857–1936) 6 (see below), Professor W J R Simpson (1855–1931) 7 , Dr W Carnegie Brown (1859–1913) 8 , Dr C F Harford (1865–1905) 9 , Dr William Hartigan (?–1936) 10 and ‘one or two more’. Reactions were mixed: Manson himself was apparently ‘at first a little doubtful about the idea, thinking that the time was not yet ripe’; he had also heard that the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) were considering starting a comparable organisation; Fleming Sandwith was, however, keen on the project, while Charles Daniels was somewhat guarded.
