Born 17 March 1872, third child and second son of Philip Cowen. Holloway, MRCS 1864, MD Durham 1882, assistant surgeon Royal Navy and later medical officer to the Islington Workhouse, and his wife *née* Hebb. The elder son, Thomas Philip Cowen, MRCS 1889, MD London 1893, became medical superintendent of the Lancashire County Asylum at Rainhill and lecturer in mental disease at Liverpool University. G H Cowen received his medical education at the London Hospital Medical College, where he was an exhibitioner. At the London intermediate MB examination in 1891 he was awarded the gold medal in materia medica and pharmaceutical chemistry, and he took honours in medicine obstetric medicine, and surgery at the MB BS in 1894, having taken the Conjoint qualification the previous year. He served as house surgeon and resident accoucheur at the London Hospital and proceeded MS London 1896 and FRCS 1897. Cowen then settled in practice at Southampton, living at Maycroft Hulse Road, and became in 1899 assistant physician to the Royal South Hants and Southampton Hospital, but later transferred to the surgical side, becoming eventually consulting surgeon. He was also surgeon to the Southampton Borough Hospital and to the Romsey and District Hospital. He was an active member of the Southampton Medical Society, and president of the Southampton branch of the British Medical Association in 1915. He joined the RAMC territorial force on its formation, being commissioned captain *à la suite* on 21 July 1908, and served during the first world war on the strength of the 5th Southern (No 17) General Hospital at Gosport. He was promoted major on 29 March 1918. Cowen married in 1905 Mary Alice Reynolds, who survived him with one daughter, who was interned in Paris during the German occupation at the time of her father's death. Mrs Cowen died on 15 August 1947. He retired in 1937 and received a presentation from nearly a hundred doctors at a ceremony presided over by Sir H W Russell Bencraft, MRCS. He settled at Enborne House, Newbury, Berks, to which his brother, T P Cowen, MRCS also retired living at The Lodge, Enborne House. G H Cowen died in Brook Heath Nursing-home, Salisbury, Hants on 25 September 1943, aged 71. Publications:- Caesarian section in a case of contracted pelvis with twin pregnancy. *Brit med J* 1907, 1, 189. Subcutaneous injury of pancreas, operation, recovery. *Brit med J* 1907, 1, 1048.