William Willcox

Sir William Henry Willcox (18.01.1870–08.07.1941) K.C.I.E., C.B., C.M.G., M.D., F.R.C.P. was an English toxicologist, physician and consultant.

Born in Melton Mowbray, his first degree was in chemistry, a subject which he then taught in a private school for four years – he also became a fellow of the Institute of Chemistry.

In 1907 he was made physician to St Mary's Hospital, retiring from that role in 1935 – he also lectured and worked as a consultant there. He pioneered the TAB vaccine and served in the Gallipoli campaign of the First World War – for the latter work he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire and a Companion of the Orders of the Bath and St Michael and St George. In the 1920s he began writing on barbiturate addiction.