Edward Hare

Edward Hare (27 December 1812 – 13 February 1897) was an English surgeon and writer. He served as Director-General of Hospitals in Bengal, India. Hare is best known for his medical work in using quinine for treatment of malaria fevers. He was also a vegetarianism activist.

Biography Edward Hare was born in Stanhoe. He was educated at King's College London and Middlesex Hospital. He took the M.R.C.S in 1837. Hare became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1938. He was commissioned as Assistant Surgeon in Bengal in 1839. In March 1853, he became Surgeon and Surgeon Major in 1859.

Hare married Mary Ann Wood in 1863. Hare's daughter, Dorothy Christian Hare was a physician. He died in Bath on 13 February 1897.

Quinine Hare experimented with quinine for treatment of malaria fevers. The Calcutta Medical Board obtained a sanction from Lord Dalhousie to bring Hare to Calcutta and place him in charge of a wing at the General Hospital. In a year, Hare had reduced the death-rate from fevers to one-twelfth of its average rate for the previous twenty years. Hare's system of using quinine to treat fever in malaria was supported by the Medical Board and was used throughout India.

Vegetarianism Hare was a vegetarian. He served as Vice-President of the Vegetarian Society. Historian James Gregory has noted that Hare's diet consisted of "two daily meals of toasted or unleavened bread, weak tea, vegetables cooked in butter, farinaceous puddings and fruit."

In 1873, Hare authored a biography of vegetarian physician William Lambe.

Selected publications Hints for an Improved Treatment of Remittent Fever and Dysentery (1847) Malarious Fever (1864) The Life of Dr William Lamb: The Vegetarian (The Dietetic Reformer and Vegetarian Messenger, 1872) The Life of William Lambe, M.D., Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (1873) Memoirs of Edward Hare, C.S.I., Late Inspector-General of Hospitals, Bengal (1900)