Sir George Ballingall, a renowned surgeon and military physician, was born in Forglén, Banffshire, in 1780. He received his early education at Falkland and later studied medicine at the University of St Andrews and Edinburgh. Ballingall joined the army in 1806 as an assistant-surgeon and served in various regiments, including the Royal Scots and the 22nd Dragoons. He participated in the capture of Java in 1811 and later joined the occupation army in Paris in 1815. In 1818, he retired and practiced medicine in Edinburgh, where he was appointed to the chair of Military Surgery at the University of Edinburgh in 1823. He was knighted in 1831 and held several prestigious positions, including surgeon to the Queen and Duchess of Kent. Ballingall contributed significantly to medical literature, particularly in military surgery and hospital construction. He died in 1855, leaving behind a legacy of professional excellence and respect. In a letter to the Edinburgh Medical Journal, Dr. John Snow discussed his theory that cholera is primarily transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food and water, rather than through the air. Snow argued that the disease spreads when people swallow minute quantities of the pathogen, often through unwashed hands or contaminated food. He supported his theory with examples from mining communities and workhouses, where poor hygiene and shared spaces contributed to the spread of the disease. Snow's work influenced public health practices and contributed to the understanding of cholera transmission.Sir George Ballingall, a renowned surgeon and military physician, was born in Forglén, Banffshire, in 1780. He received his early education at Falkland and later studied medicine at the University of St Andrews and Edinburgh. Ballingall joined the army in 1806 as an assistant-surgeon and served in various regiments, including the Royal Scots and the 22nd Dragoons. He participated in the capture of Java in 1811 and later joined the occupation army in Paris in 1815. In 1818, he retired and practiced medicine in Edinburgh, where he was appointed to the chair of Military Surgery at the University of Edinburgh in 1823. He was knighted in 1831 and held several prestigious positions, including surgeon to the Queen and Duchess of Kent. Ballingall contributed significantly to medical literature, particularly in military surgery and hospital construction. He died in 1855, leaving behind a legacy of professional excellence and respect. In a letter to the Edinburgh Medical Journal, Dr. John Snow discussed his theory that cholera is primarily transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food and water, rather than through the air. Snow argued that the disease spreads when people swallow minute quantities of the pathogen, often through unwashed hands or contaminated food. He supported his theory with examples from mining communities and workhouses, where poor hygiene and shared spaces contributed to the spread of the disease. Snow's work influenced public health practices and contributed to the understanding of cholera transmission.