Bancroft, Thomas Lane

Dr Thomas Lane Bancroft was a well-known doctor and naturalist. He was intereseted in parasitology and the Queensland lung-fish. His most important discoveries were related to mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases. He was the first to discover that the Aeses aegypti mosquito spread dengue fever.

Born Lenton, Nottinghamshire, England, 2 January 1860. Died Wallaville, Queensland, 12 November 1933. Educated University of Edinburgh (MB, ChM 1883). Manchester Infirmary 1884; Geraldton (Innisfail) Hospital, Queensland 1885-86; pharmacological studies on plants 1886-94; Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand 1898; general practice with his father, Brisbane 1889-94; research on mosquitoes at Deception Bay 1894-1904; quarantine officer for the port of Brisbane 1904; temporary appointments with the State Health department 1905-06 to investigate dengue fever, beriberi and suspected cases of plague; government medical officer, Stannary Hills, near Cairns 1908-09; government medical officer, Eidsvold 1910-29; medical officer, Palm Island 1930-32. Collected plants for the Queensland Herbarium and animals for the Queensland Museum 1884-1932; many species were named after him.