William Robert Cornish
Encyclopedia
William Robert Cornish (1828–1896) was a British physician who served in India
for more than thirty years, and became the Surgeon-General—head of medical services—in the Madras Presidency
. During the Great Famine of 1876–78
, Cornish, then Sanitary Commissioner of Madras, argued for generous famine relief, which put him at odds with Sir Richard Temple
, Famine Envoy for the Government of India, who was promoting reduced rations. Some of Cornish's innovations made their way into the Indian Famine Codes of the late 19th century.
, near Glastonbury
in 1828. After picking up some medical skills from local practitioners (in Somerset
county), Cornish proceeded to St. George's Hospital, London
in 1850 for his medical education. At St. George's, he won a scholarship in Anatomy
and Materia medica
and prizes in Chemistry
and Botany
. At the end of his medical training, he took the competitive examination for service in the British East India Company
and, in March 1854, joined as Assistant Surgeon in the Army of the Madras Presidency
of British India.
and Arsenic
, which were more popular with British physicians practising in India. He later advocated the growing of Cinchona in India, as the supply from South America
was becoming more unreliable. Not only did the plant take to Indian soil, but India soon became a major exporter of quinine
.
. There, his attention was drawn to the high mortality rate among the prisoners, very few of whom apparently survived beyond seven years. By investigating the problem, he was able to rule out the unsanitary prison conditions as the main cause of increased mortality, and instead concluded that the poor prison diet was the main culprit. His conclusions were published in his report, "Prison dietaries and food," published by the Madras government. The physician, Sir Benjamin Ward Richardson
, who considered Cornish to be an authority on Indian foodgrains and their chemical composition, often referred to this report in his lectures in Great Britain on public health.
to assume the post of Secretary of the Medical Department of the presidency. Soon afterwards, he was entrusted with investigating and writing a report on the high rates of mortality among British soldiers serving in the presidency army. The first of his reports, "Causes of death in Madras," was submitted in 1859 to the Army Sanitary Commission in London and established his reputation as a public hygiene expert ("sanitary expert" in contemporaneous usage). The report was translated into Indian languages and widely distributed.
Another influential report, "Cleansing of Indian Towns," was published in 1864. In it, he argued that European methods of wet drainage (using sewers and drains), were not optimal for tropical climates, where, waste decomposed faster and where in the summer months there was water shortage; in their stead, he advocated "dry conservancy," which was ultimately adopted in hospitals, army barracks, and railway stations in many parts of India.
. In his new position, he traveled throughout the presidency promoting dry conservancy, clean drinking water, and vaccination against small-pox. His efforts bore fruit when mortality from both cholera
and small-pox was drastically reduced in the presidency.
During the Great Famine of 1876–78
, which hit the Madras Presidency especially hard, Cornish became embroiled in a public debate with Sir Richard Temple
, then Famine Commissioner of India, about what constituted an adequate diet for people on relief, many of whom toiled in the "relief works," laying roads and breaking rocks or metal. Relying on his experience from investigating prison conditions two decades earlier, Cornish advocated more generous rations than Temple, whose reduced rations were being handed out in the early months of 1877. In March 1877, however, the government of the Madras Presidency
, tacitly accepting Cornish's general argument, increased the relief rations, although not as much as Cornish himself had advocated.
Cornish was recognized for his services during the famine by being made a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire. Many of his recommendation would find their way into the Provisional Famine Code of 1883 and other Indian Famine Codes thereafter.
. Soon, he was also appointed Honorary Physician to Queen Victoria and nominated to the Legislative Council
of the Madras presidency. He also compiled and edited the 1881 Census for the Madras Presidency. His last major effort in India was in the framing of the Act for Local Self-Government in the Madras Presidency.
Cornish retired from the Indian Medical Service
in 1885 and returned to London
. In retirement he played a prominent role in the British Medical Association
and the planning of the Institute of State Medicine later to become the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
. ("State Medicine" being a Late-Victorian term encompassing not only "public health," but also government health policy, immunization programs, welfare programs, and payment schemes for physicians, a precursor, according to some, of "socialized medicine.")
W. R. Cornish died in Worthing
on 19 December 1896.
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
for more than thirty years, and became the Surgeon-General—head of medical services—in the Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
. During the Great Famine of 1876–78
Great Famine of 1876–78
The Great Famine of 1876–1878 was a famine in India that began in 1876 and affected south and southwestern India for a period of two years...
, Cornish, then Sanitary Commissioner of Madras, argued for generous famine relief, which put him at odds with Sir Richard Temple
Sir Richard Temple, 1st Baronet
Sir Richard Temple, 1st Baronet, FRS, GCSI, CIE, PC was an administrator in British India and a British politician.-Career:...
, Famine Envoy for the Government of India, who was promoting reduced rations. Some of Cornish's innovations made their way into the Indian Famine Codes of the late 19th century.
Education
Cornish was born in ButleighButleigh
Butleigh is a small village and civil parish, located in Somerset. The nearest village to it is Barton St David, and it is located a short distance from Glastonbury and Street...
, near Glastonbury
Glastonbury
Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,784 in the 2001 census...
in 1828. After picking up some medical skills from local practitioners (in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
county), Cornish proceeded to St. George's Hospital, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1850 for his medical education. At St. George's, he won a scholarship in Anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
and Materia medica
Materia medica
Materia medica is a Latin medical term for the body of collected knowledge about the therapeutic properties of any substance used for healing . The term 'materia medica' derived from the title of a work by the Ancient Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides in the 1st century AD, De materia medica libre...
and prizes in Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
and Botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
. At the end of his medical training, he took the competitive examination for service in the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
and, in March 1854, joined as Assistant Surgeon in the Army of the Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
of British India.
India
Two years into his appointment, Cornish contributed an article, "Indian Febrifuges" to the Indian Annals of Medical Science in which he described his experiments with the Margosa bark, used in native Indian medicine, in the treatment of intermittent fevers, and showed it to be as effective as CinchonaCinchona
Cinchona or Quina is a genus of about 38 species in the family Rubiaceae, native to tropical South America. They are large shrubs or small trees growing 5–15 metres in height with evergreen foliage. The leaves are opposite, rounded to lanceolate and 10–40 cm long. The flowers are white, pink...
and Arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
, which were more popular with British physicians practising in India. He later advocated the growing of Cinchona in India, as the supply from South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
was becoming more unreliable. Not only did the plant take to Indian soil, but India soon became a major exporter of quinine
Quinine
Quinine is a natural white crystalline alkaloid having antipyretic , antimalarial, analgesic , anti-inflammatory properties and a bitter taste. It is a stereoisomer of quinidine which, unlike quinine, is an anti-arrhythmic...
.
Prison conditions
In 1857, Cornish was given medical charge of a large jail in CoimbatoreCoimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
. There, his attention was drawn to the high mortality rate among the prisoners, very few of whom apparently survived beyond seven years. By investigating the problem, he was able to rule out the unsanitary prison conditions as the main cause of increased mortality, and instead concluded that the poor prison diet was the main culprit. His conclusions were published in his report, "Prison dietaries and food," published by the Madras government. The physician, Sir Benjamin Ward Richardson
Benjamin Ward Richardson
Sir Benjamin Ward Richardson was an eminent British physician, anaesthetist, physiologist, sanitarian, and a prolific writer on medical history...
, who considered Cornish to be an authority on Indian foodgrains and their chemical composition, often referred to this report in his lectures in Great Britain on public health.
Expertise in public health and hygiene
In 1858, Cornish returned to Madras CityChennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
to assume the post of Secretary of the Medical Department of the presidency. Soon afterwards, he was entrusted with investigating and writing a report on the high rates of mortality among British soldiers serving in the presidency army. The first of his reports, "Causes of death in Madras," was submitted in 1859 to the Army Sanitary Commission in London and established his reputation as a public hygiene expert ("sanitary expert" in contemporaneous usage). The report was translated into Indian languages and widely distributed.
Another influential report, "Cleansing of Indian Towns," was published in 1864. In it, he argued that European methods of wet drainage (using sewers and drains), were not optimal for tropical climates, where, waste decomposed faster and where in the summer months there was water shortage; in their stead, he advocated "dry conservancy," which was ultimately adopted in hospitals, army barracks, and railway stations in many parts of India.
Sanitary Commissioner
In 1870, Cornish was appointed Sanitary Commissioner of the Madras PresidencyMadras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
. In his new position, he traveled throughout the presidency promoting dry conservancy, clean drinking water, and vaccination against small-pox. His efforts bore fruit when mortality from both cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
and small-pox was drastically reduced in the presidency.
During the Great Famine of 1876–78
Great Famine of 1876–78
The Great Famine of 1876–1878 was a famine in India that began in 1876 and affected south and southwestern India for a period of two years...
, which hit the Madras Presidency especially hard, Cornish became embroiled in a public debate with Sir Richard Temple
Sir Richard Temple, 1st Baronet
Sir Richard Temple, 1st Baronet, FRS, GCSI, CIE, PC was an administrator in British India and a British politician.-Career:...
, then Famine Commissioner of India, about what constituted an adequate diet for people on relief, many of whom toiled in the "relief works," laying roads and breaking rocks or metal. Relying on his experience from investigating prison conditions two decades earlier, Cornish advocated more generous rations than Temple, whose reduced rations were being handed out in the early months of 1877. In March 1877, however, the government of the Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
, tacitly accepting Cornish's general argument, increased the relief rations, although not as much as Cornish himself had advocated.
Cornish was recognized for his services during the famine by being made a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire. Many of his recommendation would find their way into the Provisional Famine Code of 1883 and other Indian Famine Codes thereafter.
Surgeon-General and retirement
In 1880, Cornish was promoted to Surgeon-General—the head of medical services in the Madras PresidencyMadras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
. Soon, he was also appointed Honorary Physician to Queen Victoria and nominated to the Legislative Council
Legislative Council
A Legislative Council is the name given to the legislatures, or one of the chambers of the legislature of many nations and colonies.A Member of the Legislative Council is commonly referred to as an MLC.- Unicameral legislatures :...
of the Madras presidency. He also compiled and edited the 1881 Census for the Madras Presidency. His last major effort in India was in the framing of the Act for Local Self-Government in the Madras Presidency.
Cornish retired from 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...
in 1885 and returned to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In retirement he played a prominent role in 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,...
and the planning of the Institute of State Medicine later to become the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is a constituent college of the federal University of London, specialising in public health and tropical medicine...
. ("State Medicine" being a Late-Victorian term encompassing not only "public health," but also government health policy, immunization programs, welfare programs, and payment schemes for physicians, a precursor, according to some, of "socialized medicine.")
W. R. Cornish died in Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
on 19 December 1896.
See also
- Famines, Epidemics, and Public Health in the British RajFamines, Epidemics, and Public Health in the British RajAmong the common features of famines, epidemics, and public health in the British Raj during the 19th century were:* There was no aggregate food shortage in India, although there were localized crop failures in the affected areas...
- Timeline of major famines in India during British rule (1765 to 1947)Timeline of major famines in India during British rule (1765 to 1947)This is a timeline of major famines on the Indian subcontinent during the years of British rule in India from 1765 to 1947. The famines included here occurred both in the princely states and British India This is a timeline of major famines on the Indian subcontinent during the years of British...
- Company rule in IndiaCompany rule in IndiaCompany rule in India refers to the rule or dominion of the British East India Company on the Indian subcontinent...
- British RajBritish RajBritish Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
- Famine in IndiaFamine in IndiaFamine has been a recurrent feature of life in the Indian sub-continental countries of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and reached its numerically deadliest peak in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Historical and legendary evidence names some 90 famines in 2,500 years of history. There...