Belgrave Ninnis
Encyclopedia
Inspector-General
Belgrave Ninnis (1 September 1837 – 18 June 1922) was a Royal Navy
surgeon, surveyor, Arctic explorer, and leading Freemason
, from London. He graduated as a Doctor of Medicine from the University of St Andrews
in 1861, and the same year entered the navy as an Assistant Surgeon. From 1864 to 1866, Ninnis served as part of a surveying expedition to the Northern Territory
of South Australia, helping to chart the area to the west of the Adelaide River
and returning biological specimens to Adelaide
for study. Ninnis was appointed to Greenwich Hospital
(later the Royal Naval College) in 1867, and in 1875 joined the British Arctic Expedition
under Captain Sir George Nares
, serving as Staff-Surgeon on HMS Discovery
. When disease spread among the expedition's dogs, Ninnis was charged with investigating the cause; his findings later formed the basis of a published work. At the conclusion of the expedition in 1876 he received the Arctic Medal
for his service, and was promoted to Fleet-Surgeon.
In his later career Ninnis served both on ships and in hospitals. He received Sir Gilbert Blane's Gold Medal in 1879, was promoted to Deputy Inspector-General in 1883, was appointed Principal Medical Officer at Melville Naval Hospital in 1892, and was selected as a Knight of Grace of the Venerable Order of Saint John
in 1895. Upon his retirement in 1897 he was promoted to Inspector-General, and in 1900 and 1902 served as President of the Section of the Navy, Army, and Ambulance of the British Medical Association
. He was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1912. Ninnis was initiated into the Freemasons 1872, was a founder of several Lodges
, and in 1901 became a Past Grand Deacon of England. He was the father of Belgrave Edward Sutton Ninnis
, an explorer who was lost down a crevasse
during the 1911–14 Australasian Antarctic Expedition
.
as a Doctor of Medicine on 2 January 1861, and became a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons—MCRS; a professional qualification—in April of the same year. On 1 August, he entered the Royal Navy Medical Service
, as an Assistant Surgeon, and was appointed to HMS Pantaloon. In October 1862 Ninnis was transferred to the navy's flagship HMS Victory
, then moored in Portsmouth
. He was posted aboard HMS Curacoa
, assigned to the Australian Station, in 1863.
In 1864, he was selected to serve as naturalist on a survey expedition to the Northern Territory
of South Australia, aboard HMS Beatrice
. The expedition, under Boyle Finniss
, was charged with surveying the coast in the area of the Adelaide River
, with the aim of selecting a site for a future territory capital. Together with W. P. Auld
, Ninnis was the first to survey the area to the west of the river, around what is now Darwin
. In his role as naturalist, Ninnis collected specimens of reptiles and birds, which he presented to the South Australian Institute (later the South Australian Museum
), and timber, which was donated to the Adelaide Botanic Garden
. Ninnis later reported to the Adelaide Philosophical Society on geological findings; "the coast at the Northern Territory," he said, "was generally composed of red and grey sandstone
, with small quantities of quartz
."
Writing in the South Australian Register
, George William Francis, director of the Botanic Garden, said that the 32 species of timber Ninnis had collected settled "that important question, is there timber around [the proposed capital] or not?" Noting that the member of the expedition originally intended to return biological specimens to Adelaide had failed to do so, Francis wrote that "we are very much indebted to this gentleman [Ninnis] who has thus supplied us at a time when we have failed in obtaining information through the appointed channel." Upon the conclusion of the expedition in 1866, Ninnis received the thanks of the Parliament of South Australia
for his work. His research on the expedition later formed the basis of a published work, Remarks on the Natural History, Meteorology, and Native Population of Northern Australia.
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Upon his return to Britain, Ninnis qualified in January 1867 for the title of Surgeon in the Royal Navy by passing examinations at the Royal College of Surgeons; the following month he was appointed to the Royal Hospital
in Greenwich
, where he remained until 1869. On 21 December 1874 he was promoted to Staff-Surgeon Second Class. In May 1875 he was appointed to HMS Discovery
, one of two ships—the other HMS Alert
—which comprised the British Arctic Expedition
, led by Captain Sir George Nares
. The expedition aimed to be the first to reach the North Pole
, pushing north through Smith Sound
, between Ellesmere Island
and Greenland. The two ships made slow progress up the sound, repeatedly halted by dense pack ice
. During August of the first year, the expedition's Greenland Dog
s began to show signs of disease; the dogs experienced fits and "madness", owing, it was assumed, "to close confinement, wet decks, and want of natural exercise." Ninnis and Fleet-Surgeon Thomas Colon of the Alert were charged with investigating the disease. Ninnis' report to Nares noted the disease's similarity to rabies
, "but there is no instance recorded in Greenland of human beings who have been bitten having suffered from hydrophobia [a symptom of advanced rabies], and the recovery of the animals in some instances is entirely opposed to the recorded experience of true rabies."
On 26 August the two ships parted; Alert continued to push north while Discovery waited in reserve. Ninnis' biological work then extended to horticulture
. He collected wheat seeds left in the area by the Polaris expedition
four years previously, and planted them—together with mustard, cress and pea seeds—between the decks of the Discovery. In May of the second year they were transplanted to the shore, under glass. According to Robert Johnston, in his 1877 summary of the expedition, "This experiment succeeded very well; but, evidently, such an attempt at fancy gardening, under difficulties, could not be relied on to supply the wants of an entire ship's crew."
The expedition returned to England in October 1876, having failed to reach the pole. The gains it had made had not been without cost; three men had died from scurvy
alone. One of these deaths had occurred on a sledging party from Alert, the remaining two on Discovery, from which there had been no major sledging. A Committee of Inquiry investigating the expedition determined a lack of fresh lime
juice had triggered the outbreak. Even so, fresh meat, of which there was a plentiful supply near Discovery, could have staved off the disease. Publicly, Nares defended his surgeons, Ninnis included:
For his work on the expedition, Ninnis was awarded the Arctic Medal
, and promoted to Fleet-Surgeon. He later published a report, Diseases Incidental to the Eskimo Dogs of Smith's Sound: Diagnosis and Treatment, on his findings during the expedition.
at the epigastrium
[the area immediately below the heart], brandy and ammonia to wet his mouth." In 1879 he was awarded Sir Gilbert Blane's Gold Medal, an honour reserved for Royal Navy medical officers. In 1883 he received his final active promotion, to Deputy Inspector-General. He was appointed Principal Medical Officer at Melville Naval Hospital, Chatham in 1892, and three years later was selected as a Knight of Grace to the Venerable Order of Saint John
. He retired on 1 September 1897, with an honorary promotion to Inspector-General
.
He continued to be active after his retirement from the Navy, twice serving—in 1900 and 1902—as President of the Section of the Navy, Army, and Ambulance of the British Medical Association
. In July 1900, serving in this capacity, he delivered an introductory address at the annual meeting of the association. In the address, while arguing that light and fresh air were important for the treatment of wounded sailors, noted that they could "only be obtained in sufficient quantity above the water-line, and to place the sick quarters above the water-line, amidst the hurly-burly of a sea fight, traversed by projectiles and wrecked by exploding shells, is of course out of the question, even supposing that sufficient space could be spared." Instead, he argued for dedicated hospital ship
s, which "during an action ... would keep out of range but sufficiently close to collect the wounded when the fight was over, and sailing under the regulations of the Geneva Convention
would be free from molestation or capture." A related article by Ninnis, "The Treatment of Wounded at Sea", was published in the Philadelphia Medical Journal in August 1900, and he expanded on the idea of hospital ships in a 1905 paper to the British Medical Association.
Ninnis presented another paper at the 1908 annual meeting of the association, entitled "The Position of St. John
Ambulance Brigade as Regards Mobilization", in his capacity as Chief Commissioner St. John Ambulance Brigade
. On 14 June 1912, at St James's Palace, he was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) by King George V
.
Ninnis died in Streatham
on 18 June 1922, aged 84. He was a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
and the Society of Antiquaries
, and a member of the Army and Navy Club
, the Royal Navy Medical Club, and the Folklore Society
. In addition to the works previously mentioned, he was the author of a published work entitled Statistical and Nosological Report, with Remarks on the Sanitary Condition of the Welsh Colony of Chubut, South America.
(a former Worshipful Master, the senior officer of a Masonic Lodge) of the Quadratic Lodge; the Æsculapius Lodge; the Prince of Wales Lodge; the Phoenix Lodge, Jamaica; and the Pentangle Lodge, Kent. He was a member of the Orders of Knights Templar and the Knights of Malta. Ninnis was a Life Governor of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution
, a Vice President of the Royal Masonic School for Boys
, and a Vice Patron of the Royal Masonic School for Girls
.
. He was married to Ada Jane Sutton, with whom he had three sons and one daughter. One son, Walter Melville Ninnis, died, aged 17 months, of pneumonia
, on 12 September 1886.
Ninnis was the father of Belgrave Edward Sutton Ninnis
, a Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers and Antarctic explorer. B. E. S. Ninnis accompanied the 1911–14 Australasian Antarctic Expedition
, under Douglas Mawson
, as a dog handler. Along with Mawson and Xavier Mertz
, he formed the Far Eastern Party
, using sledge dogs to explore the area around the expedition's base in Adélie Land
. On 14 December 1912, B. E. S. Ninnis died when the sledge he was walking beside broke through the snow lid of a crevasse. When news of his death reached Australia in March 1913, several Australian newspapers—including The Advertiser, the Western Argus
and The Sydney Morning Herald
—ran biographies of Belgrave Ninnis, noting his surveying work in the Northern Territory and Arctic exploration. When Mawson returned to Australia a year later, a telegram was sent on behalf of the Australian people to Ninnis senior, condoling him on his "great loss, but congratulating you on your son's imperishable fame." Ninnis replied the following day, "Grateful thanks to yourself and people of Australia for sympathetic message."
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
Belgrave Ninnis (1 September 1837 – 18 June 1922) was a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
surgeon, surveyor, Arctic explorer, and leading Freemason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, from London. He graduated as a Doctor of Medicine from the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
in 1861, and the same year entered the navy as an Assistant Surgeon. From 1864 to 1866, Ninnis served as part of a surveying expedition to the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
of South Australia, helping to chart the area to the west of the Adelaide River
Adelaide River
Adelaide River is a river in the Northern Territory of Australia. It starts in Litchfield National Park and flows generally northwards to Clarence Strait, being crossed by both the Stuart Highway and the Arnhem Highway...
and returning biological specimens to Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
for study. Ninnis was appointed to Greenwich Hospital
Old Royal Naval College
The Old Royal Naval College is the architectural centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich, a World Heritage Site in Greenwich, London, described by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation as being of “outstanding universal value” and reckoned to be the “finest and most...
(later the Royal Naval College) in 1867, and in 1875 joined the British Arctic Expedition
British Arctic Expedition
The British Arctic Expedition of 1875-1876, led by Sir George Strong Nares, was sent by the British Admiralty to attempt to reach the North Pole via Smith Sound. Two ships, HMS Alert and HMS Discovery , sailed from Portsmouth on 29 May 1875...
under Captain Sir George Nares
George Nares
Vice-Admiral Sir George Strong Nares KCB FRS was a British naval officer and Arctic explorer. He commanded both the Challenger Expedition and the British Arctic Expedition, and was highly thought of a leader and a scientific explorer...
, serving as Staff-Surgeon on HMS Discovery
HMS Discovery (1874)
HMS Discovery was a wooden screw storeship, formerly the whaling ship Bloodhound. She was purchased in 1874 for the British Arctic Expedition of 1875–1876 and was sold in 1902.-Design and Construction:...
. When disease spread among the expedition's dogs, Ninnis was charged with investigating the cause; his findings later formed the basis of a published work. At the conclusion of the expedition in 1876 he received the Arctic Medal
Polar Medal
The Polar Medal is a medal awarded by the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It was instituted in 1857 as the Arctic Medal and renamed the Polar Medal in 1904.-History:...
for his service, and was promoted to Fleet-Surgeon.
In his later career Ninnis served both on ships and in hospitals. He received Sir Gilbert Blane's Gold Medal in 1879, was promoted to Deputy Inspector-General in 1883, was appointed Principal Medical Officer at Melville Naval Hospital in 1892, and was selected as a Knight of Grace of the Venerable Order of Saint John
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
in 1895. Upon his retirement in 1897 he was promoted to Inspector-General, and in 1900 and 1902 served as President of the Section of the Navy, Army, and Ambulance of the British Medical Association
British Medical Association
The British Medical Association is the professional association and registered trade union for doctors in the United Kingdom. The association does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The association’s headquarters are located in BMA House,...
. He was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1912. Ninnis was initiated into the Freemasons 1872, was a founder of several Lodges
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
, and in 1901 became a Past Grand Deacon of England. He was the father of Belgrave Edward Sutton Ninnis
Belgrave Edward Sutton Ninnis
Belgrave Edward Sutton Ninnis was a Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers and an Antarctic explorer who was a member of Sir Douglas Mawson's 1911 Australasian Antarctic Expedition.-Antarctica 1911-1912:...
, an explorer who was lost down a crevasse
Crevasse
A crevasse is a deep crack in an ice sheet rhys glacier . Crevasses form as a result of the movement and resulting stress associated with the sheer stress generated when two semi-rigid pieces above a plastic substrate have different rates of movement...
during the 1911–14 Australasian Antarctic Expedition
Australasian Antarctic Expedition
The Australasian Antarctic Expedition was an Australasian scientific team that explored part of Antarctica between 1911 and 1914. It was led by the Australian geologist Douglas Mawson, who was knighted for his achievements in leading the expedition. In 1910 he began to plan an expedition to chart...
.
Early career
Ninnis graduated from the University of St AndrewsUniversity of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
as a Doctor of Medicine on 2 January 1861, and became a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons—MCRS; a professional qualification—in April of the same year. On 1 August, he entered the Royal Navy Medical Service
Royal Navy Medical Service
The Royal Navy Medical Service is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for medical care. It works closely with Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service.-History:...
, as an Assistant Surgeon, and was appointed to HMS Pantaloon. In October 1862 Ninnis was transferred to the navy's flagship HMS Victory
HMS Victory
HMS Victory is a 104-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, laid down in 1759 and launched in 1765. She is most famous as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805....
, then moored in Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. He was posted aboard HMS Curacoa
HMS Curacoa (1854)
HMS Curacoa was a 31-gun Tribune-class screw frigate launched on 13 April 1854 from Pembroke Dockyard.She served in the Mediterranean Station between 1854 until 1857 and was in the Black Sea during the Crimean War. She was part of the Channel Squadron between 1857 until 1859. She then was sent to...
, assigned to the Australian Station, in 1863.
In 1864, he was selected to serve as naturalist on a survey expedition to the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
of South Australia, aboard HMS Beatrice
HMS Beatrice (1860)
HMS Beatrice was a 98 ton displacement, schooner launched in 1860 at Newhaven.She was acquired by the Royal Navy and the Colony of South Australia on 27 September 1862 and served on the Australia Station and was used as a survey ship, and in this role she surveyed areas of the north coast of...
. The expedition, under Boyle Finniss
Boyle Finniss
Boyle Travers Finniss was the first Premier of the Colony of South Australia, serving from 24 October 1856 to 20 August 1857.-Early life:...
, was charged with surveying the coast in the area of the Adelaide River
Adelaide River
Adelaide River is a river in the Northern Territory of Australia. It starts in Litchfield National Park and flows generally northwards to Clarence Strait, being crossed by both the Stuart Highway and the Arnhem Highway...
, with the aim of selecting a site for a future territory capital. Together with W. P. Auld
W. P. Auld
William Patrick Auld , usually known by his initials or as "Patrick", was an Adelaide, South Australian vigneron and wine merchant born in Stalybridge , the son of Patrick Auld and Eliza Auld .He took part in John McDouall Stuart's sixth expedition William Patrick Auld (27 May 1840 – 2 September...
, Ninnis was the first to survey the area to the west of the river, around what is now Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
. In his role as naturalist, Ninnis collected specimens of reptiles and birds, which he presented to the South Australian Institute (later the South Australian Museum
South Australian Museum
The South Australian Museum is a museum in Adelaide, South Australia, founded in 1856. It occupies a complex of buildings on North Terrace in the cultural precinct of the Adelaide Parklands.-History:...
), and timber, which was donated to the Adelaide Botanic Garden
Adelaide Botanic Garden
The Adelaide Botanic Garden is a public garden at the north-east corner of the Adelaide city centre, in the Adelaide Park Lands. It encompasses a fenced garden on North Terrace and behind it the Botanic Park...
. Ninnis later reported to the Adelaide Philosophical Society on geological findings; "the coast at the Northern Territory," he said, "was generally composed of red and grey sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, with small quantities of quartz
Quartz
Quartz is the second-most-abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust, after feldspar. It is made up of a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall formula SiO2. There are many different varieties of quartz,...
."
Writing in the South Australian Register
South Australian Register
The Register, originally the South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register, was the first South Australian newspaper. It was first published in London in June 1836 and folded almost a century later in February 1931....
, George William Francis, director of the Botanic Garden, said that the 32 species of timber Ninnis had collected settled "that important question, is there timber around [the proposed capital] or not?" Noting that the member of the expedition originally intended to return biological specimens to Adelaide had failed to do so, Francis wrote that "we are very much indebted to this gentleman [Ninnis] who has thus supplied us at a time when we have failed in obtaining information through the appointed channel." Upon the conclusion of the expedition in 1866, Ninnis received the thanks of the Parliament of South Australia
Parliament of South Australia
The Parliament of South Australia is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of South Australia. It consists of the Legislative Council and the House of Assembly. It follows a Westminster system of parliamentary government....
for his work. His research on the expedition later formed the basis of a published work, Remarks on the Natural History, Meteorology, and Native Population of Northern Australia.
British Arctic Expedition
Royal Hospital
Several hospitals and former hospitals are known formally or informally as Royal Hospital or simply The Royal, indicating some form of royal patronage, such as sponsorship, usage, or creation by royal charter.-Melbourne:...
in Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, where he remained until 1869. On 21 December 1874 he was promoted to Staff-Surgeon Second Class. In May 1875 he was appointed to HMS Discovery
HMS Discovery (1874)
HMS Discovery was a wooden screw storeship, formerly the whaling ship Bloodhound. She was purchased in 1874 for the British Arctic Expedition of 1875–1876 and was sold in 1902.-Design and Construction:...
, one of two ships—the other HMS Alert
HMS Alert (1856)
HMS Alert was a 17-gun wooden screw sloop of the Cruizer class of the Royal Navy, launched in 1856 and broken up in 1894. She was the eleventh ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name , and was noted for her Arctic exploration work; in 1876 she reached a record latitude of 82°N.-Construction:The...
—which comprised the British Arctic Expedition
British Arctic Expedition
The British Arctic Expedition of 1875-1876, led by Sir George Strong Nares, was sent by the British Admiralty to attempt to reach the North Pole via Smith Sound. Two ships, HMS Alert and HMS Discovery , sailed from Portsmouth on 29 May 1875...
, led by Captain Sir George Nares
George Nares
Vice-Admiral Sir George Strong Nares KCB FRS was a British naval officer and Arctic explorer. He commanded both the Challenger Expedition and the British Arctic Expedition, and was highly thought of a leader and a scientific explorer...
. The expedition aimed to be the first to reach the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
, pushing north through Smith Sound
Smith Sound
Smith Sound is an uninhabited Arctic sea passage between Greenland and Canada's northernmost island, Ellesmere Island. It links Baffin Bay with Kane Basin and forms part of the Nares Strait....
, between Ellesmere Island
Ellesmere Island
Ellesmere Island is part of the Qikiqtaaluk Region of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. Lying within the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, it is considered part of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, with Cape Columbia being the most northerly point of land in Canada...
and Greenland. The two ships made slow progress up the sound, repeatedly halted by dense pack ice
Polar ice packs
Polar ice packs are large areas of pack ice formed from seawater in the Earth's polar regions, known as polar ice caps: the Arctic ice pack of the Arctic Ocean and the Antarctic ice pack of the Southern Ocean, fringing the Antarctic ice sheet. Polar packs significantly change their size during...
. During August of the first year, the expedition's Greenland Dog
Greenland Dog
The Greenland Dog is a large breed of husky-type dog kept as a sled dog and for hunting polar bear and seal. This is an ancient breed, thought to be directly descended from dogs brought to Greenland by the first Inuit settlers.-Appearance:The Greenland Dog is a powerful, heavy-built dog...
s began to show signs of disease; the dogs experienced fits and "madness", owing, it was assumed, "to close confinement, wet decks, and want of natural exercise." Ninnis and Fleet-Surgeon Thomas Colon of the Alert were charged with investigating the disease. Ninnis' report to Nares noted the disease's similarity to rabies
Rabies
Rabies is a viral disease that causes acute encephalitis in warm-blooded animals. It is zoonotic , most commonly by a bite from an infected animal. For a human, rabies is almost invariably fatal if post-exposure prophylaxis is not administered prior to the onset of severe symptoms...
, "but there is no instance recorded in Greenland of human beings who have been bitten having suffered from hydrophobia [a symptom of advanced rabies], and the recovery of the animals in some instances is entirely opposed to the recorded experience of true rabies."
On 26 August the two ships parted; Alert continued to push north while Discovery waited in reserve. Ninnis' biological work then extended to horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
. He collected wheat seeds left in the area by the Polaris expedition
Polaris expedition
The Polaris expedition was led by the American Charles Francis Hall, who intended it to be the first expedition to reach the North Pole. Sponsored by the United States government, it was one of the first serious attempts at the Pole, after that of British naval officer William Edward Parry, who in...
four years previously, and planted them—together with mustard, cress and pea seeds—between the decks of the Discovery. In May of the second year they were transplanted to the shore, under glass. According to Robert Johnston, in his 1877 summary of the expedition, "This experiment succeeded very well; but, evidently, such an attempt at fancy gardening, under difficulties, could not be relied on to supply the wants of an entire ship's crew."
The expedition returned to England in October 1876, having failed to reach the pole. The gains it had made had not been without cost; three men had died from scurvy
Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans. The chemical name for vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is derived from the Latin name of scurvy, scorbutus, which also provides the adjective scorbutic...
alone. One of these deaths had occurred on a sledging party from Alert, the remaining two on Discovery, from which there had been no major sledging. A Committee of Inquiry investigating the expedition determined a lack of fresh lime
Lime (fruit)
Lime is a term referring to a number of different citrus fruits, both species and hybrids, which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3–6 cm in diameter, and containing sour and acidic pulp. Limes are a good source of vitamin C. Limes are often used to accent the flavors of foods and...
juice had triggered the outbreak. Even so, fresh meat, of which there was a plentiful supply near Discovery, could have staved off the disease. Publicly, Nares defended his surgeons, Ninnis included:
For his work on the expedition, Ninnis was awarded the Arctic Medal
Polar Medal
The Polar Medal is a medal awarded by the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It was instituted in 1857 as the Arctic Medal and renamed the Polar Medal in 1904.-History:...
, and promoted to Fleet-Surgeon. He later published a report, Diseases Incidental to the Eskimo Dogs of Smith's Sound: Diagnosis and Treatment, on his findings during the expedition.
Later career
Ninnis spent the remainder of his career working on ships and in hospitals. His surgical notes from at least part of this time survive; in November 1880, for example, while serving aboard aboard HMS Garnet, he recorded a failed attempt to revive a drowning victim, James Farley: "Brandy injected into the rectum and strychnineStrychnine
Strychnine is a highly toxic , colorless crystalline alkaloid used as a pesticide, particularly for killing small vertebrates such as birds and rodents. Strychnine causes muscular convulsions and eventually death through asphyxia or sheer exhaustion...
at the epigastrium
Epigastrium
The epigastrium is the upper central region of the abdomen. It is located between the costal margins and the subcostal plane....
[the area immediately below the heart], brandy and ammonia to wet his mouth." In 1879 he was awarded Sir Gilbert Blane's Gold Medal, an honour reserved for Royal Navy medical officers. In 1883 he received his final active promotion, to Deputy Inspector-General. He was appointed Principal Medical Officer at Melville Naval Hospital, Chatham in 1892, and three years later was selected as a Knight of Grace to the Venerable Order of Saint John
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
. He retired on 1 September 1897, with an honorary promotion to Inspector-General
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
.
He continued to be active after his retirement from the Navy, twice serving—in 1900 and 1902—as President of the Section of the Navy, Army, and Ambulance of the British Medical Association
British Medical Association
The British Medical Association is the professional association and registered trade union for doctors in the United Kingdom. The association does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The association’s headquarters are located in BMA House,...
. In July 1900, serving in this capacity, he delivered an introductory address at the annual meeting of the association. In the address, while arguing that light and fresh air were important for the treatment of wounded sailors, noted that they could "only be obtained in sufficient quantity above the water-line, and to place the sick quarters above the water-line, amidst the hurly-burly of a sea fight, traversed by projectiles and wrecked by exploding shells, is of course out of the question, even supposing that sufficient space could be spared." Instead, he argued for dedicated hospital ship
Hospital ship
A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital; most are operated by the military forces of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones....
s, which "during an action ... would keep out of range but sufficiently close to collect the wounded when the fight was over, and sailing under the regulations of the Geneva Convention
Geneva Conventions
The Geneva Conventions comprise four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish the standards of international law for the humanitarian treatment of the victims of war...
would be free from molestation or capture." A related article by Ninnis, "The Treatment of Wounded at Sea", was published in the Philadelphia Medical Journal in August 1900, and he expanded on the idea of hospital ships in a 1905 paper to the British Medical Association.
Ninnis presented another paper at the 1908 annual meeting of the association, entitled "The Position of St. John
Ambulance Brigade as Regards Mobilization", in his capacity as Chief Commissioner St. John Ambulance Brigade
St. John Ambulance
St John Ambulance, branded as St John in some territories, is a common name used by a number of affiliated organisations in different countries dedicated to the teaching and practice of medical first aid and the provision of ambulance services, all of which derive their origins from the St John...
. On 14 June 1912, at St James's Palace, he was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) by King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
.
Ninnis died in Streatham
Streatham
Streatham is a district in Surrey, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
on 18 June 1922, aged 84. He was a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
and the Society of Antiquaries
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
, and a member of the Army and Navy Club
Army and Navy Club
The Army and Navy Club in London is a gentlemen's club founded in 1837, also known informally as The Rag.-Foundation and membership:...
, the Royal Navy Medical Club, and the Folklore Society
Folklore Society
The Folklore Society was founded in England in 1878 to study traditional vernacular culture, including traditional music, song, dance and drama, narrative, arts and crafts, customs and belief...
. In addition to the works previously mentioned, he was the author of a published work entitled Statistical and Nosological Report, with Remarks on the Sanitary Condition of the Welsh Colony of Chubut, South America.
Freemasons
Ninnis was initiated into the Freemasons in 1872. In 1901 he became a Past Grand Deacon of England, having previously been a Grand Standard Bearer of England. He was a Founder of the Quadratic Lodge, Hampton Court; the Æsculapius Lodge, London; the Navy Lodge, London; and the Belgrave Chapter, London. He was a Past MasterMasonic Lodge Officers
This article relates to mainstream Craft Freemasonry, sometimes known as Blue Lodge Freemasonry. Every Masonic Lodge elects or appoints Masonic Lodge Officers to execute the necessary functions of the lodge's life and work...
(a former Worshipful Master, the senior officer of a Masonic Lodge) of the Quadratic Lodge; the Æsculapius Lodge; the Prince of Wales Lodge; the Phoenix Lodge, Jamaica; and the Pentangle Lodge, Kent. He was a member of the Orders of Knights Templar and the Knights of Malta. Ninnis was a Life Governor of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution
Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution
The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution is one of the four Masonic Charities in England and Wales. The RMBI operates 17 care homes providing residential care, nursing care and dementia care...
, a Vice President of the Royal Masonic School for Boys
Royal Masonic School for Boys
The Royal Masonic School for Boys was an independent school for boys in England.From 1798 charities were set up for clothing and educating sons of needy Freemasons. They originally provided education by sending them to schools near to their homes...
, and a Vice Patron of the Royal Masonic School for Girls
Royal Masonic School
The Royal Masonic School for Girls is an independent school in Rickmansworth, England with both day and boarding pupils. The school was instituted in 1788, with the aim of maintaining the daughters of indigent Freemasons, unable through death, illness, or incapacitation to support their families...
.
Family
Belgrave Ninnis was the fourth son of Paul Ninnis, originally of CornwallCornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. He was married to Ada Jane Sutton, with whom he had three sons and one daughter. One son, Walter Melville Ninnis, died, aged 17 months, of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
, on 12 September 1886.
Ninnis was the father of Belgrave Edward Sutton Ninnis
Belgrave Edward Sutton Ninnis
Belgrave Edward Sutton Ninnis was a Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers and an Antarctic explorer who was a member of Sir Douglas Mawson's 1911 Australasian Antarctic Expedition.-Antarctica 1911-1912:...
, a Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers and Antarctic explorer. B. E. S. Ninnis accompanied the 1911–14 Australasian Antarctic Expedition
Australasian Antarctic Expedition
The Australasian Antarctic Expedition was an Australasian scientific team that explored part of Antarctica between 1911 and 1914. It was led by the Australian geologist Douglas Mawson, who was knighted for his achievements in leading the expedition. In 1910 he began to plan an expedition to chart...
, under Douglas Mawson
Douglas Mawson
Sir Douglas Mawson, OBE, FRS, FAA was an Australian geologist, Antarctic explorer and Academic. Along with Roald Amundsen, Robert Falcon Scott, and Ernest Shackleton, Mawson was a key expedition leader during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.-Early work:He was appointed geologist to an...
, as a dog handler. Along with Mawson and Xavier Mertz
Xavier Mertz
Xavier Mertz was a Swiss explorer, mountaineer and skier, from Basel. He took part in the Far Eastern Party, a 1912–13 component of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, which claimed his life...
, he formed the Far Eastern Party
Far Eastern Party
The Far Eastern Party was a sledging component of the 1911–14 Australasian Antarctic Expedition, which investigated the previously unexplored coastal regions of Antarctica west of Cape Adare. Led by expedition commander Douglas Mawson, the party aimed to explore the area far to the east of their...
, using sledge dogs to explore the area around the expedition's base in Adélie Land
Adélie Land
Adélie Land is the portion of the Antarctic coast between 136° E and 142° E , with a shore length of 350 km and with its hinterland extending as a sector about 2,600 km toward the South Pole. It is claimed by France as one of five districts of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, although not...
. On 14 December 1912, B. E. S. Ninnis died when the sledge he was walking beside broke through the snow lid of a crevasse. When news of his death reached Australia in March 1913, several Australian newspapers—including The Advertiser, the Western Argus
Western Argus
The Western Argus was a newspaper published in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia by Hocking & Co. Ltd., from 1894-1938.-Further reading:* Kirwan, John, The story of a Goldfields newspaper : a romance of the press : Kalgoorlie early days. Journal and proceedings Western Australian Historical Society :...
and The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...
—ran biographies of Belgrave Ninnis, noting his surveying work in the Northern Territory and Arctic exploration. When Mawson returned to Australia a year later, a telegram was sent on behalf of the Australian people to Ninnis senior, condoling him on his "great loss, but congratulating you on your son's imperishable fame." Ninnis replied the following day, "Grateful thanks to yourself and people of Australia for sympathetic message."
External links
- Sir George Nares' account of the British Arctic Expedition, at the Internet Archive