History

Established in 1907

The Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene was founded in 1907 by Sir James Cantlie and Dr George Carmichael Low to study and discuss diseases of tropical countries.

The first president was "the father of tropical medicine", Sir Patrick Manson.

The prefix Royal was granted by King George V in 1920, and the royal connection has been maintained ever since - Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was our Patron up until her death and His Majesty King Charles III was confirmed as our Patron in May 2024. HRH The Princess Royal is an Honorary Fellow.

From our foundations over 100 years ago, in a time when tropical medicine was being established, RSTMH is now a multidisciplinary organisation that is constantly adapting to the changing patterns and interpretations of modern tropical medicine and global health.

Our Presidents

Since our inception in 1907, our Presidents have always been crucial in moving the Society forwards, providing guidance and safeguarding our best interests as an organisation and those of our members.

  • Sir Patrick Manson (1907–1909)
  • Sir Ronald Ross (1909–1911)
  • Sir William Boog Leishman (1911–1913)
  • Sir R. Havelock Charles (1913–1915)
  • Dr Fleming M. Sandwith (1915–1917)
  • Sir David Bruce (1917–1919)
  • Sir John Ritchie Simpson (1919–1921)
  • Sir James Cantlie (1921–1923)
  • Sir Percy W. Bassett-Smith (1923–1925)
  • Sir Andrew Balfour (1925–1927)
  • Professor John William Watson Stephens (1927–1929)
  • Sir George Carmichael Low (1929–1933)
  • Sir Leonard Rogers (1933–1935)
  • Sir Arthur Bagshawe (1935–1937)
  • Dr Sydney Price James (1937–1939)
  • Sir S. Rickard Christophers (1939–1943)
  • Sir Henry Harold Scott (1943–1945)
  • Dr Charles Morley Wenyon (1945–1947)
  • Sir Philip H. Manson-Bahr (1947–1949)
  • Professor Henry Edward Shortt (1949–1951)
  • Sir Neil Hamilton Fairley (1951–1953)
  • Dr Frederick Norman White (1953–1955)
  • Professor Rupert M. Gordon (1955–1957)
  • Sir John S.K. Boyd (1957–1959)
  • Sir William MacArthur (1959–1961)
  • Sir George McRobert (1961–1963)
  • Dr Charles Wilcocks (1963–1965)
  • Professor George MacDonald (1965–1967)
  • Professor Percy Cyril Garnham (1967–1969)
  • Professor Brian Maegraith (1969–1971)
  • Sir Robert Drew (1971–1973)
  • Professor Alan W. Woodruff (1973–1975)
  • Dr C.E. Gordon Smith (1975–1977)
  • Dr Stanley G. Browne (1977–1979)
  • Dr Leonard G. Goodwin (1979–1981)
  • Dr Anthony J. Duggan (1981–1983)
  • Sir Ian A. McGregor (1983–1985)
  • Professor Herbert M. Gilles (1985–1987)
  • Professor Wallace Peters (1987–1989)
  • Professor George S. Nelson (1989–1991)
  • Dr Peter O. Williams (1991–1993)
  • Professor Gordon C. Cook (1993–1995)
  • Major-General George O. Cowan (1995–1997)
  • Professor David A. Warrell (1997–1999)
  • Professor David Bradley (1999–2001)
  • Professor Harold Townson (2001–2003)
  • Professor Andrew Tomkins (2003–2005)
  • Professor Sir Brian M. Greenwood (2005–2007)
  • Professor David H. Molyneux (2007–2009)
  • Professor Hazel M. Dockrell (2009–2011)
  • Professor Peter Winstanley (2011–2013)
  • Professor Simon I. Hay (2013–2016)
  • Dr Simon Cathcart (2016–2018)
  • Professor Sarah Rowland-Jones (2018–2019)
  • Professor David Mabey (2019–2020)
  • Professor Gail Davey OBE (2020-2021)
  • Professor Janet Hemingway CBE (2021-2022)
  • Simon Bush (2022-present)