Studied at Guy's Hospital, where he won prizes. He acted as House Surgeon in 1888, and then served as Surgeon on a Royal Mail Steamship. In 1891 he was appointed Assistant Anaesthetist at the Royal Dental Hospital, Leicester Square, becoming full Anaesthetist from 1898-1905, when he resigned. In 1893 he was Anaesthetist to Guy's Hospital, in 1896 Demonstrator, and later Lecturer on Anaesthetics. For a time he was also Anaesthetist to the West End Hospital for Nervous Diseases and to the National Orthopaedic Hospital. The British Medical Association appointed a special committee on the clinical effects of anaesthetics, and Rowell was made Hon Assistant Secretary. Ten years later the Association appointed a Special Chloroform Committee of which Rowell was a member. He practised at 6 Cavendish Place, London, W, and on the outbreak of the War in 1914 became Anaesthetist to the King George Hospital and to the Royal Flying Corps Hospital. He died on April 18th, 1918, being survived by his widow and son. At the time of his death he was President of the Section of Anaesthetics at the Royal Society of Medicine. Publications: Rowell contributed a large amount of literature on anaesthetics, aiming to replace the everyday use of chloroform by ether given by the open method, and by nitrous-oxide gas in combination with oxygen. "Accidents of Anaesthesia." - *Guy's Hosp Rep*, 1892, xlix, 433.