THOMSON, ARTHUR SAUNDERS (1816-60) was educated in Scotland and studied medicine at Edinburgh University. He graduated M.D. in 1837, receiving the gold medal for his thesis on the influence of climate on health and mortality. In Oct 1838 he was appointed assistant surgeon on the army staff. He served with the 17th Foot in Bombay and at Aden until 1842, when he was appointed to the 14th Light Dragoons.

While in India Thomson contributed valuable papers to service journals. Returning to England on leave, he was appointed surgeon to the 58th Regiment (Aug 1847), which he joined in New Zealand. During 11 years in the Colony he wrote many valuable papers on climate, statistics and natural history, and collected material for The Story of New Zealand (1859). His report on the causes of the decline of the Maori, published in 1852, is a valuable and thoughtful document. Thomson returned to England at the end of 1858 with the rank of surgeon-major, exchanged to the staff and joined the expeditionary force to China, whither he proceeded in charge of the steam hospital ship Mauritius. When the army took the field he was put in charge of the 2nd division (Sir Robert Napier's). Upon him devolved the duty of providing for the wounded in the field at the attack on the Taku forts, when he gained the approbation of the general commanding and of his department. After the capture of Pekin he was selected to remain as senior medical officer with the force wintering in China. He died of sickness on 4 Nov 1860, and was buried in the Russian cemetery.

Thomson was not only a zealous, intelligent and valuable officer, but an upright and kindhearted gentleman. His New Zealand book occupies a high place in the literature of the country.

War Office records; Cowan; A. S. Thomson, op. cit.; F.M. Dunlop in N.Z. Herald, 28 May 1904; Wellington Independent, 26 May 1852; Army and Navy Gaz., 26 Jan 1861; New Zealander, 10 Apr 1861.

Reference: Volume 2, page 193

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