William Wilson Rorke M.B. Ch.B (17 June 1875 – 16 April 1962) was a British orthodox physician who converted to homeopathy, to become a Consultant Physician for Nervous Disorders and Tutor at the London Homeopathic Hospital and, from 1921, a member of the British Homeopathic Society.
During his time at the London Homeopathic Hospital, Rorke instructed many student homeopaths, including Dr. Grace H. Newell. He was also instrumental in bridging the lay-professional divide. Most notably, Rorke was the teacher of lay homeopath Thomas Lackenby Maughan, and it is believed that Rorke also taught many other lay homeopaths, including Frank Parker Wood.
In April 1909, Rorke was awarded his Bachelors of Medicine and Surgery, with commendation and first class certificate, and passed the examinations in midwifery, from the University of Glasgow.
LRCP First Clas 1908, FRCS, MB ChB Glasgow 1909 with Commendation 1909, FFHom,
During the First World War, Rorke joined the Royal Navy Medical Service and in October 1914 was appointed as temporary ships surgeon to the Colossus-class dreadnought, HMS Hercules.
Rorke was a colleague of Edward Bach, J. Ellis Barker, Marjorie Grace Blackie, Ardeshir Kavasji Boman Behram, Francis Henry Bodman, Douglas Morris Borland, John Henry Clarke, Robert Thomas Cooper, Andrew Tocher Cunningham, Charles William Daniel, Donald MacDonald Foubister, Robert Douglas Hale, Clarence Granville Hey, James Douglas Kenyon, George MacLeod, Thomas Maughan, William Burnett Douglas Miller, Grace H. Newell, Elizabeth Paterson, John Paterson, Kathleen Gordon Priestman,William Lees Templeton, Margaret Lucy Tyler, Sir John Weir, Charles Edwin Wheeler, Harold Fergie Woods, Dudley d’Auvergne Wright, and many others
In 1923, Rorke resigned as assistant physician at the London Homeopathic Hospital and was appointed as the physician for diseases of the nervous system, succeeding Dr Giles F. Goldsbrough, who had been appointed to the hospital’s consulting staff.
In July of that year, Rorke also attended the British Homoeopathic Congress held in Glasgow, where he and Dishington led discussion of papers by Douglas Borland and Hall Smith.
It has also been posited by Andre Saine that Rorke served as Physician to King George VI, although this has not been verified.
Rorke retired to Deal in Kent between 1941-48, and he formally retired from the Medical Council in 1961,
Rorke wrote Results of homeopathic treatment in a well defined and well known chronic nervous disease. British Homeopathic Journal 1925;25:131-44, Rheumatoid arthritis with psoriasis British Homeopathic Journal 1931;22:414-416, Chronic Disease in its Last Ditch, British Homeopathic Journal Vol. XIV, No 1 January 1924 (63),
Wow! This guy was the Physician to George VI, and he was the teacher of Thomas Maughn (the chief druid!). What a great combination of facts!
I bet that there is a lot more interesting info on him, though if ANYONE can uncover it, SUE YOUNG can!