Patrick Manson, Dairy Farm
The Old Dairy Farm in Pok Fu Lam was once an extensive complex of
farm buildings erected by the Dairy Farm Company. The Dairy Farm was
founded in 1886 when Dr Patrick Manson (a Scottish surgeon and a pioneer in
the fields of hygiene and tropical medicine) persuaded five influential
businessmen in the city, including Paul Chater, to invest in a local dairy farm.
While in Hong Kong, Manson also spearheaded the founding of the Hong Kong
College of Medicine, which in turn evolved into Faculty of Medicine of The
University of Hong Kong. He was also a distinguished parasitologist and the
first to state the hypothesis that the mosquito is the host of the malarial parasite
and thus an active agent in diffusing the disease. The Dairy Farm Company’s
declared purp.oses were threefold: (i) to provide a regular supply of hygienic
fresh milk for Hong Kong people; (ii) to reduce the price of cow’s milk so as to
make it affordable by the city’s growing population; and (iii) to realize a profit
for the company shareholders. (1)
HF: In this article I wish to focus on the life of Patrick Manson.
Sir Patrick Manson GCMG FRS (3 October 1844 – 9 April 1922) was a Scottish physician who made important discoveries in parasitology, and was a founder of the field of tropical medicine. He graduated from University of Aberdeen with degrees in Master of Surgery, Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Law. His medical career spanned Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, and London. He discovered that filariasis in humans is transmitted by mosquitoes. This is the foundation of modern tropical medicine, and he is recognized with an epithet “Father of Tropical Medicine”. His discovery directly invoked the mosquito-malaria theory, which became the foundation in malariology. He eventually became the first President of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. He founded the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese (subsequently absorbed into the University of Hong Kong) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
Manson was inflicted with gout during his service in China. His recurring condition worsened with age. He died in 1922.(2)
Sources:
- Antiquities Advisory Board, Hong Kong. Historical Building Appraisal, Old Dairy Farm, Report Serial No: N317
- Wikipedia