Born at Tottenham on 28 May 1867, second son and fourth child of the Rev A R Abbott and his wife, née Bax. He was educated at Bruce Castle School in London and at St Thomas's Hospital. At the University of London he had a brilliant career as a student. He won the gold medal in anatomy and organic chemistry in 1887 and the gold medal in obstetric medicine at the MS examination in 1893. The Cheselden medal and the Treasurer's prize were awarded to him at St Thomas's Hospital in 1888. Having served as house surgeon, surgical registrar and junior demonstrator of anatomy at St Thomas's Hospital, he was elected assistant surgeon at the Evelina Hospital for Sick Children. In 1897 he took part in the Graeco-Turkish war as chief surgeon to the *Daily Chronicle* fund for assisting the Greek wounded. For his services he received the Order of St Sava. On his return to England he was appointed assistant surgeon at St Thomas's Hospital in January 1899, was attached to the aural department in place of Charles Ballance, FRCS in February 1899, and was made lecturer on practical and operative surgery in the medical school. In October 1903 failing sight, due to *retinitis pigmentosa*, obliged him to retire from practice and he settled at The Hermitage, Bletchingly, Surrey, where with the help of his wife he maintained an excellent clinic for the treatment of neurasthenia. During the European war of 1914-18 the resources of the clinic were placed at the disposal of the War Office and Abbott was appointed commandant of the Red Gables Hospital. His assistance was recognized by decoration with the CBE in 1919. He married on 26 March 1901 Pauline, third daughter of Colonel L'Estrange, 31st Regiment, of Moystown, King's Co, Ireland. She survived him with two daughters. He died in London on 6 October 1938, and left £1,000 to St Thomas's Hospital Medical School. Abbott, in his hour of trial when blindness stopped him in the middle of a successful career, "steered right onward bating nor heart nor hope". Publications:- Editor of *St Thomas's Hospital Reports*, 1892-93. Surgery in the Graeco-Turkish war. *Lancet*, 1, 80, 152. Physical exercises in the treatment of hospital patients. *St Thos Hosp Rep*. 1899, p.449. Intrauterine rickets. *Brit med J*. 1901, 2, 597.