Samuel Rickard Christophers
Encyclopedia
Sir Rickard Christophers (27 November 1873 – 19 February 1978) was a British protozoologist
and medical entomologist
specialising in mosquito
es.
He was born and raised in Liverpool
, the son of Samuel Hunt and Kate Christophers and educated at the Liverpool Institute and Liverpool University, graduating MB in 1896.
In 1897 he took part in an Amazonian expedition and in 1898 went to Italy as part of the Malaria Commission, followed by a trip to Africa to study malaria. In 1901 the Malaria Commission moved to India.
On his return to England in 1902 he became a Lieut-Col in the Indian Medical Service
, moving back to India in 1904. In 1910 he was appointed the first Director of the Central Malaria Bureau, cordinating anti-malarial training and research throughout India. He spent WWI on anti-malaria duties in Iraq and in 1919 returned again to India as Director of the Central Research Institute at Kasauli in the foothills of the Himalays.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in May, 1926. He was the sixteenth president of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
from 1939 to 1943.
An expert on tropical medicines, Christophers studied many diseases, particularly malaria
. His work on the research of this disease won him the Royal Society's 1952 Buchanan Medal
for "outstanding research" on the Anopheles mosquito
that transmitted malaria
. In his career he also contributed to the taxonomy
of other parasites
.
Christophers was also an honorary physician to King George V
from 1927 to 1930. He was awarded CIE
in 1915, OBE in 1918 and knighted in 1931.
He died in Dorset. He had married Elise Emma Sherman in 1902. They had several children.
Protozoology
Protozoology is the study of protozoa, the "animal-like" protists. This term has become dated as our understanding of the evolutionary relationships of the eukaryota has improved....
and medical entomologist
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
specialising in mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
es.
He was born and raised in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, the son of Samuel Hunt and Kate Christophers and educated at the Liverpool Institute and Liverpool University, graduating MB in 1896.
In 1897 he took part in an Amazonian expedition and in 1898 went to Italy as part of the Malaria Commission, followed by a trip to Africa to study malaria. In 1901 the Malaria Commission moved to India.
On his return to England in 1902 he became a Lieut-Col in the Indian Medical Service
Indian Medical Service
The Indian Medical Service was one of the military medical services, which also had some civilian functions, in British India. It served during the two world wars, and was in existence until the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947...
, moving back to India in 1904. In 1910 he was appointed the first Director of the Central Malaria Bureau, cordinating anti-malarial training and research throughout India. He spent WWI on anti-malaria duties in Iraq and in 1919 returned again to India as Director of the Central Research Institute at Kasauli in the foothills of the Himalays.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in May, 1926. He was the sixteenth president of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene was founded in 1907 by Sir James Cantlie and George Carmichael Low. Sir Patrick Manson, the Society's first President is generally acknowledged as the father of tropical medicine. He passed the presidency on to the Nobel laureate Sir Ronald Ross ,...
from 1939 to 1943.
An expert on tropical medicines, Christophers studied many diseases, particularly malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
. His work on the research of this disease won him the Royal Society's 1952 Buchanan Medal
Buchanan Medal
The Buchanan Medal is awarded by the Royal Society every year "in recognition of distinguished contribution to the medical sciences generally". The award was created in 1897 from a fund to the memory of London physician Sir George Buchanan . It was to be awarded once every five years, but since...
for "outstanding research" on the Anopheles mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
that transmitted malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
. In his career he also contributed to the taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
of other parasites
Parasitism
Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host. Traditionally parasite referred to organisms with lifestages that needed more than one host . These are now called macroparasites...
.
Christophers was also an honorary physician to 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....
from 1927 to 1930. He was awarded CIE
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
in 1915, OBE in 1918 and knighted in 1931.
He died in Dorset. He had married Elise Emma Sherman in 1902. They had several children.
Works
- A summary of the recent observations upon the AnophelesAnophelesAnopheles is a genus of mosquito. There are approximately 460 recognized species: while over 100 can transmit human malaria, only 30–40 commonly transmit parasites of the genus Plasmodium, which cause malaria in humans in endemic areas...
of the Middle East. Indian Journal of Medical Research 7, pp. 710–716 (1920). - With Shortt, H.E.: Malaria in MesopotamiaMesopotamiaMesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
. Indian Journal of Medical Research 8, pp. 508–529 (1921). - The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. DipteraDipteraDiptera , or true flies, is the order of insects possessing only a single pair of wings on the mesothorax; the metathorax bears a pair of drumstick like structures called the halteres, the remnants of the hind wings. It is a large order, containing an estimated 240,000 species, although under half...
Volume IV (1933).