Sydney was educated at Berkhampstead Grammar School; at Downing College, Cambridge; and at St Bartholomew’s Hospital - entering as a student in 1894, he obtained the diploma of M.R.C.S. in 1898. After leaving the Hospital he joined the staff of the Lister Institute as a research worker. In 1906 he joined the Commission for Investigation of Plague in India and helped to prove that plague was transmitted by rat-fleas. On his return to the UK he worked at immunity processes in connection with plague. On 28th September 1914 he took up a temporary commission at the rank of lieutenant in the R.A.M.C., and proceeded to France on the 10th October in charge of No 1 Mobile Laboratory. He was one of the first bacteriologists to use his knowledge in the prophylasis of disease among the troops in the field. He later transferred to serve with No 28 General Hospital and shortly before his death was searching for “carriers” of cerebro-spinal meningitis. Sydney died of this disease himself, therefore it is believed he contracted the disease in the course of his duties. Sydney was the eldest son of the Rev. W. T. Rowland, late of West Clandon, Guildford, Surrey.