Person Bruce; Sir; David (1855 - 1931); bacteriologist and parasitologist Bruce David Sir bacteriologist and parasitologist 1855 - 1931 British Male Melbourne, Colony of Victoria, Australia 29 May 1855 18550529 Christchurch, Westminster, London, during the funeral of Lady Bruce 27 November 1931 19311127 Cremation: Golders Green Crematorium (1 December 1931)

Artillery Mansions Hotel, Victoria Street, London, England

Bacteriologist Bacteriology Parasitology Microbiology Education: Stirling High School; University of Edinburgh MB Career: Assistant to Dr Herbert Stanley Stone, at Reigate in Surrey (1881); commissioned a surgeon in the Army Medical Service, and passed first from the Army Medical School at Netley, on Southampton Water (1883); went to his first overseas commission to Malta, accompanied by his wife, taking up the post of resident medical officer at the Station Hospital (1884); during this time he discovered the cause of Malta fever was Brucella melitensis; chairman of the Malta Fever Commission (1886); left Malta and worked alongside his wife in Koch’s laboratory in Berlin (1888); returned to England and appointed assistant professor of pathology at the Army Medical School at Netley (1889-1894); posted to Pietermaritzburg in Natal, South Africa (1894) where he investigated the fatal tsetse-fly disease, discovering the single-cell parasite Trypanosoma brucei in the blood of infected animals and working on establishing all the facts on trypanosomiasis; caught up in the siege of Ladysmith, in the South African War and became in charge of a large military hospital, acting as an operating surgeon, whilst his wife assisted him in charge of the operating theatre (1899); member of the committee investigating typhoid and dysentery in the field (1900); returned to England and appointed to the advisory board of the Army Medical Services department at the War Office (1901); seconded to supervising the Royal Society’s sleeping sickness commission in Uganda, where it had reached epidemic levels (1903); served as a member of the Army Medical Service Advisory Board (1902-1911); Commander of the Royal Army Medical College at Millbank, London (1914-1919); appointed chairman to the governing body of the Lister Institute. Honours: CB 1905; Kt 1908; KCB 1918 Awards/Medals: Cameron Prize for Therapeutics of the University of Edinburgh 1899 Leeuwenhoek Medal 1915 Albert Medal 1923 Manson Medal 1923 Parents: David Bruce, of Edinburgh, and Jane, daughter of Alexander Hamilton, of Stirling. Spouse: Mary Elizabeth Sisson (1849–1931), daughter of John Sisson Steele MRCS (1883). Discovered the bacterium Brucella, which caused what was known as Malta fever (1887); discovered a protozoan parasite, named Trypanosoma brucei, as the causative pathogen of nagana (animal trypanosomiasis) (1894). Medals and prizes: Royal Medal 1904; Buchanan Medal 1922 Fellow 01/06/1899 44 Edward Emanuel Klein; Victor Horsley; William Watson Cheyne; Thomas Lauder Brunton; David Ferrier; Edwin Ray Lankester; William Abbott Herdman; Charles Scott Sherrington; John Scott Burdon-Sanderson Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DSB; DNB Obituaries: Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society 1932-1935 vol l pp 79-85, plate, signed by J R B References: Sir John Boyd, 'Sleeping Sickness: the Castellani-Bruce Controversy' in NR 1973-4 vol 28 pp 93-110 Bruce D, IM Maull 000618.jpg International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbm.1932.0017 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorRaw=Bruce%2C+David RCN 18679 RCN 18688 RCN 30511 RCN 18682 RCN 18657 RCN 30512 RCN 18685 RCN 18730 RCN 30509 RCN 18723 RCN 18692 RCN 18724 RCN 18727 RCN 18728 RCN 18729 RCN 18732 RCN 18683 RCN 30510 RCN 18650 RCN 18737 RCN 18689 RCN 18684 RCN 18680 RCN 18733 RCN 18726 RCN 18731 RCN 18725 RCN 18734 29 May 1855 - 27 Nov 1931 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 29/05/2024 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA8153 21/11/2001 Andyg pmab 17/03/2026 RS_NET\VirginiaM Yes http://viaf.org/viaf/14265585 003dfe0c-a0a3-4547-a00c-81e550015fd6