The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene was founded in 1907 by Sir James Cantlie and George Carmichael Low. Sir Patrick Manson, the Society's first President (1907-1909) is generally acknowledged as the father of tropical medicine. He passed the presidency on to the Nobel laureate Sir Ronald Ross (1909-1911), discoverer of the role of mosquitoes in the transmission of malaria. Since that time, many of the most distinguished practitioners and researchers in the field of tropical medicine have been fellows of the Society.
The objectives of the Society are "to promote and advance the study, control and prevention of diseases in man and other animals in warm climates, facilitate discussion and the exchange of information among those who are interested in tropical diseases, and generally to promote the work of those interested in these objectives". Today the society is multi-disciplinary and deals with international health as well as classic tropical diseases.
In 1920, King George V gave his permission for the society to use the Royal prefix. Queen Elizabeth II is patron of the society and the Princess Royal is an Honorary Fellow.
Fellows of The Society are not entitled to use the post-nominal letters. Fellowship of the Society has no status as a diploma or academic credential.[1] Biannually, individuals who have made outstanding contributions towards the objectives of the Society become eligible for election as Honorary Fellows.[2]
In 2011 they moved to their current premises in Northumberland House, High Holborn, London.
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The society awards the Chalmers Medal and Donald Mackay Medal annually and the Manson Medal, the George MacDonald Medal and the Sir Rickard Christophers Medal triennially.[3]
Five special Centenary Medals were awarded in 1907, two for lifetime achievement and three for special achievement by an under-45 year old.