14 Facts About William Horrocks

William Horrocks contributed to the making safe of water, developing a simple method of testing and purifying water in the field.

William Horrocks received a Third Class Honours pass in Anatomy, and a Second Class in Physiology and Histology.

Previously a Surgeon on probation, Horrocks was promoted to Surgeon on 5 February 1887.

William Horrocks was promoted from Captain to Major on 5 February 1899.

In 1904 William Horrocks was appointed as a member of the Royal Society's Mediterranean Fever Commission, to investigate the highly contagious disease Malta fever which was prevalent in the British colony of Malta.

William Horrocks was the first person to find the bacteria in goat's milk, thus identifying the method of transmission.

William Horrocks then took specimens of the blood to Major Horrocks, another member of the commission, and asked him to confirm his observations.

William Horrocks afterwards served as sanitary officer at the British colony of Gibraltar, where he noted that the incidence of Malta fever practically disappeared with the removal of Maltese goats from that place.

William Horrocks was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 19 May 1911, then in July was promoted brevet colonel dated 20 May, in recognition of his services.

In 1915, William Horrocks was honoured by becoming an Honorary Surgeon to King George V, commencing 6 November 1914, holding the appointment until 26 December 1917.

William Horrocks developed the "William Horrocks Box", following his research into contamination of water.

On 3 June 1918 William Horrocks was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George.

William Horrocks became the first Director of Hygiene at the War Office on 1 June 1919 in recognition of his expertise in military hygiene, this last period of active duty came to an end on 1 November 1919, and he relinquished his temporary rank of Brigadier-General.

William Horrocks died on 26 January 1941 at the age of eighty-one, at Hersham in Surrey.