author
Robert Henry Elliot
1864–1936
A pioneering eye surgeon with a taste for unusual subjects, he wrote not only about ophthalmology but also about snake venom and Indian magic. His life joined medical practice, military service, and a remarkably wide range of curiosities.
1 Audiobook
The Indian operation of couching for cataract
by Robert Henry Elliot
About the author
Professor Robert Henry Elliot FRCS (23 August 1864 – 9 November 1936) was a British ophthalmic surgeon and author. He was educated at Bedford School and at the Medical College of St Bartholomew's Hospital, then joined the Indian Medical Service, where much of his medical career took shape.
He became especially known for his work in ophthalmology, including service in Madras and later senior roles connected with eye care and teaching. Sources also describe him as an expert on snake venom and on Indian magic, which helps explain why his writing ranged well beyond strictly clinical subjects.
Elliot's books and papers reflect both specialist knowledge and a strong interest in explaining what he had seen and learned. That mix of practical medicine, colonial-era experience, and wide curiosity gives his work an unusual character even now.