author
George Henry Makins
b. 1853
An influential English surgeon, he became one of the best-known military medical writers of his time, drawing on firsthand experience from the Boer War and the First World War. His work helped shape understanding of gunshot wounds and battlefield surgery in a period of rapid change.
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About the author
Born in St Albans on November 3, 1853, George Henry Makins trained at St Thomas' Hospital and also studied in Halle and Vienna. He built a long career at St Thomas', serving in posts from assistant surgeon to full surgeon, and became a respected figure in British surgery.
Makins is especially remembered for his work in military medicine. He served as a consulting surgeon during the South African War and later during the First World War, where his observations on gunshot injuries, fractures, and blood-vessel wounds were widely valued. His books and reports combined practical experience with clear explanation, making them important records of wartime surgery.
He was honored for his public and military service, including appointment as Companion of the Bath and later Knight Grand Cross of St Michael and St George. He died on November 2, 1933, just one day before his 80th birthday.