Frederick Oakley Lasbrey

Frederick Oakley Lasbrey was an English physician who worked as medical superintendent at the Old Cairo Mission Hospital and was superintendent and secretary of the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society. He published on hook worm disease or bilharzia. His death was recognized in the British Medical Journal in 1968.

Early life
Frederick Oakley Lasbrey was born on November 9, 1872, in Uttoxeter, England. He was born into an English, Anglican family and was the son of Frederick William Lasbrey and Luoisa Jane Oakley. Lasbrey was a student at Uttoxeter Grammar School for a year, before spending three years at the Brewood Grammar School, and then four years at the Bedford Grammar School where he developed an interest in medicine.

At the age of 19, he matriculated at the University of Edinburgh Medical School and studied there from 1890 to 1897. During his time at Edinburgh, Lasbrey studied medicine and earned his M.B., Ch.B. with intention of joining the Church Missionary Society.

Career
Lasbrey sought approval as a medical missionary from the CMS, but was initially rejected. Instead, in November 1897 Lasbrey joined the British Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen. During this time, he served as a surgeon and also had his first experience as an Anglican missionary. He served under the Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen for just under a year before returning to England.

On November 3, 1898, Lasbrey was approved as a medical missionary by the CMS and in January 1899 they sent him to the Egypt Mission in Old Cairo. During his time in Egypt, he was expected to run the Old Cairo mission hospital, which had previously been directed by Francis John Harpur.

In October 1902, Lasbrey transferred to the Turkish Arabia Mission to Constantinople to obtain a Turkish diploma. During this time, his daughter was born. Within a year, in 1903 Lasbrey was re-transferred to the Old Cairo Mission to continue his work as superintendent.

In 1904, while Lasbrey was working in Cairo, his son was born, but he died in November 1905. During his time as superintendent, Lasbrey had to oversee the boys school, which held church services and evangelistic meetings, the girls school, and the clinic.

In 1928, Lasbrey established a medical mission in Mit Ghamr, Egypt, with a focus on fostering both medical care and Anglican evangelism, similar to the Old Cairo Mission.

After thirty years in Egypt, Lasbrey accepted the position of Superintendent of the Edinburgh Medical Mission. After nine years with the Edinburgh Medical Mission, Lasbrey retired in 1938 and went into general practice at Wethersfield, Essex.

Death
Lasbrey died on December 30, 1967, in Kepston, Bedfordshire.

Publications

 * A Case of Abdominal or Bilocular Hydrocele (British Medical Journal 26 August 1916 p292)
 * Notes on One Thousand Cases of Bilharziasis Treated by Antimony Tartrate (British Medical Journal 26 February 1921 pp299-301)
 * Treatment of Bilharziasis by Antimony Tartrate (British Medical Journal 24 May 1924 pp907-8)