Everest 1924: Observations and Impressions from the Journal of Expedition Physician and Naturalist R.W.G. Hingston

Abstract

Beresford, Maxwell Oliver, Rhona Loxton, and George W. Rodway. Everest 1924: Observations and impressions from the Journal of Expedition Physician and Naturalist R.W.G. Hingston. High Alt Med Biol. 26:416–423, 2025.—The 1924 British expedition to Mount Everest was the second serious attempt to summit the mountain, following on from the expedition of 1922. Initially led by General Charles Bruce, the party was composed of some of the most prestigious climbers of its day. Major Richard W.G. Hingston, although not a mountaineer by trade, acted as medical officer on the expedition. Hingston maintained a meticulous journal on the expedition, describing medical cases, the events on Everest, and the extensive flora and fauna he collected. He also performed basic physiological testing on the climbers, exploring the impact of altitude on their bodies. While the heights the climbers reached broke records, the expedition was ultimately shrouded in tragedy with the loss of Mallory and Irvine. This article follows Major Hingston’s personal account of events on Everest, including his impressions of Mallory and Irvine. This article considers his observations and findings in their current medical context and emphasizes his passion for the natural world.