1 9 3 6 ) ▁was ▁a ▁British ▁o ph th al mic ▁sur geon ▁and ▁author , ▁an ▁expert ▁on ▁s nake ▁ven om ▁and ▁on ▁Indian ▁magic . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Born ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁August ▁ 1 8 6 4 , ▁Robert ▁Elli ot ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁Bed ford ▁School ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁Medical ▁College ▁of ▁St ▁Bar th ol ome w ' s ▁Hospital . ▁He ▁entered ▁the ▁Indian ▁Medical ▁Service ▁and ▁was ▁gaz ett ed ▁sur geon - lie utenant ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁January ▁ 1 8 9 2 . ▁He ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁North ▁West ▁Front ier , ▁between ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁and ▁ 1 8 9 3 , ▁and ▁was ▁Super int endent ▁of ▁the ▁Government ▁O ph th al mic ▁Hospital , ▁Mad ras , ▁and ▁Professor ▁of ▁O ph th alm ology ▁at ▁Mad ras ▁Medical ▁College , ▁between ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁He ▁gained ▁a ▁D . Sc . ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Edinburgh ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁with ▁a ▁th esis ▁on ▁the ▁ph arm ac ology ▁of ▁c ob ra ▁ven om . ▁He ▁was ▁Hunter ian ▁Professor ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁College ▁of ▁Sur ge ons , ▁between ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁and ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Naval ▁and ▁Military ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Medical ▁Association , ▁between ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 2 2