Born in Buenos Aires in June 1867, son of Charles Brewerton of Whetstone, Middlesex, he came to England at the age of three and was educated at University College School. Later he went to Neuenheim College in Heidelberg and then entered St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College in 1890, graduating i

Born on 3 September 1868 he was educated at Bristol University, where he won the Gilchrist Scholarship, at University College, London and at St Bartholomew's Hospital. He became a BSc with honours in physiology at the age of 22, qualifying with the Conjoint diploma the following year. He had from th