Born on 13 May 1870 at Walton Priory, Liverpool, the ninth child and third son of William Wilson, shipping merchant, and Kate Howard Thompson, his wife. He was educated at Liverpool College, in the training-ship *Conway*, and at the Liverpool Medical School. Wilson was a fine athlete and a good football player in his youth. He was commissioned surgeon-lieutenant in the Indian Medical Service, Bengal division, on 29 January 1896, and promoted captain on 29 January 1899. From 1896 to 1903 he served with the Indian Army, and was then appointed to civil service in Bengal. He took the Cambridge Diploma in Public Health in 1900, and was promoted major on 29 July 1907. In 1912 he took the Fellowship, and from 1913 to 1918 he was superintendent of Campbell Medical School, Calcutta, being promoted lieutenant-colonel on 29 July 1915. In 1918 he was appointed surgeon to Calcutta Medical College Hospital and later professor of clinical surgery, and then professor of surgery, in the Medical College. He served at this time as president of the Bengal State Medical Faculty and Council of Medical Registration, and was appointed an honorary surgeon to the Viceroy in 1920. In 1922 and again in 1925 he was acting surgeon-general to the Government of Bengal. Wilson was placed on the special list for promotion on 6 September 1921, and created CIE on 3 June 1925, but retired on 17 March 1926, when he returned to England. He collaborated with Sir L Rogers in the pioneer treatment of liver abscess. Wilson married in 1904 Elsie Dora Twiss, who survived him; there were no children. He died at 12 Trafalgar Road, Birkdale, Southport, Lancashire on 12 December 1943. Publication: Two cases of liver abscess treated by aspiration, after diagnosis by blood changes, with Leonard Rogers. *Brit med J* 1906, 1, 1397. This paper gave the first account of the subsequently universal treatment.