Griffith Evans 1835-1935
Veterinarian, Pioneer Parasitologist and Adventurer
Author(s) Gavin Gatehouse
Language: English
Genre(s): Biography, Science, History
Series: Scientists of Wales
- May 2024 · 256 pages ·216x138mm
- · Paperback - 9781837721238
- · eBook - pdf - 9781837721245
- · eBook - epub - 9781837721252
About The Book
In 1880, Griffith Evans, an army veterinary surgeon in India, made the seminal discovery that blood parasites – then universally considered benign – were pathogenic. Spurned by peers and colleagues, his conclusions from experiments with diseased horses were acknowledged by Koch and Pasteur, but it took many years before his achievement received general recognition.
The son of a farmer near Tywyn, Meirionnydd, Evans was commissioned as a veterinary officer in the Royal Artillery. He was first posted to Canada where, in his spare time, he qualified in medicine. An irrepressible adventurer, he visited North America during the Civil War, meeting Abraham Lincoln and touring the Union front line.
Evans’s talent for engagement with people and cultures characterised his life in Canada and in India. During a long and productive retirement in north Wales, he immersed himself in local and national affairs. At his centenary in 1935, Evans received the accolades of his profession, community and family, dying peacefully in his hundredth year. Since that time, his name has faded into obscurity.
Endorsements
‘In this riveting biography, Evans’s life unfolds – a story intricately crafted with threads of scientific inquiry, daring expeditions and unwavering dedication. Through the author's meticulous research and vivid narrative, readers embark on a journey that restores Griffith Evans to his rightful place in the pantheon of Welsh scientists.’
Aránzazu Meana, Professor of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Complutense University of Madrid and President of the European College of Veterinary Parasitology
‘Every country has its heroes! Some in the public eye, others less visible, but who still shape our societies and countries. This book chronicles the life and times of an amazing Welsh veterinarian who made an immense contribution to science, and to the status of Wales within and outside the veterinary profession. This entertaining and interesting account of the history of the profession … confirms the amazing scientific contribution of a humble but strong Welsh scientist whose work remains valid in our current world.’
Derek C. Knottenbelt OBE, Emeritus Professor of Equine Clinical Science, University of Liverpool
Contents
SERIES EDITOR’S FOREWORD
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND PREFACE
PROLOGUE
FAMILY, CHILDHOOD AND EDUCATION
THE ROYAL VETERINARY COLLEGE AND BRIDGNORTH
WOOLWICH – THE ROYAL ARTILLERY
THE GREAT EASTERN
MONTREAL
ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
AT THE FRONT
HOME, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
INDIA
KATIE
SURRA ON THE NORTHWEST FRONTIER
BANISHMENT TO THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY
RETURN TO BRITAIN – UNHAPPY YEARS
NORTH WALES AND RETIREMENT
‘I KNEW I SHOULD BE PROVED RIGHT’
‘ENJOYING A LONG SUNSET’
CENTENARIAN
EPILOGUE
NOTES