Leonard Rogers


Sir Leonard Rogers was a founder member of the Royal Society of [Tropical Medicine and Hygiene], and its President from 1933 to 1935.

Biography

Rogers studied at Plymouth College and worked at St Mary’s Hospital. He qualified M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. F.R.C.S. in London.
Rogers had a wide range of interests in tropical medicine, from the study of kala-azar epidemics to sea snake venoms, but is best known for pioneering the treatment of cholera with hypertonic saline, which has saved a multitude of lives. He also championed Indian chaulmoogra oil as a treatment for Hansen's disease.
Rogers was one of the pioneers in setting up the Calcutta [School of Tropical Medicine] in Calcutta, India. In 1929, Rogers was awarded the Cameron Prize for Therapeutics of [the University of Edinburgh].
He was president of the 1919 session of the Indian Science Congress.

Vivisection

Rogers defended vivisection and criticized the arguments of the anti-vivisection movement. He authored a book, The Truth about Vivisection in 1937.
He was honorary treasurer of the Research Defence Society. Rogers played a leading part in obtaining a ruling from the High Court sustained by the Appeal Court and House of Lords that anti-vivisection organizations can not be regarded as charities.

Selected publications