Timeline: Ronald Ross

1857

Born to Sir Campbell Claye Grant and Matilda Charlotte Elderton.

1894

When the young doctor went to London, he got a chance to get acquainted with Scottish physician, Sir Patrick Manson.

Who was of the opinion that India was the perfect spot for studying about paludism (malaria) and the problems associated with it.

1895

He reached Secunderabad, where he immediately went to the 'Bombay Civil Hospital' to conduct experiments on paludism (malaria). It was here that he scrutinized the parasite found inside the stomach of a mosquito.

It was during a visit to a place called Sigur Ghat near Ooty, Tamil Nadu, that he observed a mosquito with an unusual stance. Not knowing what kind it could be, Ross named it the "dappled-winged" mosquito.

1896

He visited Ooty once again, this time with the aim of conducting research on malaria. He, himself fell sick with the disease, despite taking precautions with a dose of quinine prophylaxis.

Ronald was forced to return to Secunderabad without completing his observations.

1897

Ross finally managed to breed 20 adult mosquitoes, from which he gathered larvae. He fed these mosquitoes with blood from a man who was paid eight annas, and eventually after dissection, he found a foreign cellular structure inside the insect.

This foreign body was discovered to be the parasite that causes malaria in human beings. Ronald was soon transferred to Bombay and then to Rajasthan, but a dearth of cases proved hindrance in his research work. Subsequently, he continued service in Calcutta on the request made to the British government by his mentor, Patrick Manson.

1898

He began studying malaria-infected birds, though he was not quite satisfied with his decision to do so.

The symptoms were quite similar to those of human beings, and he established the fact that the parasites hid in the salivary glands of mosquitoes.

1899

“Du rôle des moustiques dans le paludisme”

The insect responsible for transmission of the disease was indicated as “moustique d’une nouvelle espèce”, just as in the note of 1897 it was indicated as a “grey” or “dappled winged” mosquito, absolutely invalid names for the Linnaean nomenclature.

1908