Sir William Leslie Mackenzie MD FRSE (30 May 1862 – 28 February 1935) was a Scottish doctor renowned in the field of public health, best known for his efforts to systematise rural healthcare and his contributions to the study of child and maternal health. Early life William Leslie Mackenzie was born into a small farming community called Shadwick Mains, in Rossshire, Scotland, to James Mackenzie and his wife, Margaret McKenzie. He attended his local one-room school until the age of fourteen, serving as a pupil-teacher for his last three years there. He then attended grammar school in Aberdeen. Mackenzie remained there until age sixteen and then taught for a time at a private girls’ school. He graduated from Aberdeen University with an MA in classics and philosophy (with first class honors), winning various scholarships along the way including the Ferguson and Fullerton awards in mental philosophy. Upon receiving his degree, Mackenzie continued his studies at Edinburgh University for one term. During his studies, he was influenced greatly by Alexander Bain and was a one-time associate of Edwin Chadwick, another major public health figure. He married Helen Carruthers Spence on 12 February 1892. They had no children. Helen pursued an active political career including supporting women's emancipation and the right to vote, and also served on many health boards and committees. Medical career Mackenzie decided to enter medicine and was awarded a bursary to attend Aberdeen. He graduated M.B., C.M. with honors in 1888, and later held the position of resident physician at the Aberdeen Infirmary. He later served as an assistant to the university's professor of physiology, Matthew Hay. Obtaining his public health diploma in 1890, Mackenzie became the assistant medical officer at Aberdeen. He transferred the following year to serve as the Kirkcudbrightshire and Wigtownshire county medical officer. In 1895, Mackenzie's work with rural water supplies earned him high honors. Appointed medical officer for Leith in 1894, he succeeded in dealing with an outbreak of smallpox where his predecessor had failed. In addition to the water supply improvements, he introduced immediate disinfection of homes following a tuberculosis outbreak, “rigorously attended to” outbreaks of diphtheria, and instituted the regular medical inspection of children and milk provision for expecting mothers. While Mackenzie was quickly becoming a major player in his field, complaints from MPs on the state of medical provision in the highlands prompted even more change. In response to these