Zachary Cope

Sir
Vincent Zachary Cope
MD MS FRCS
Born(1881-02-14)14 February 1881
Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire, England
Died28 December 1974(1974-12-28) (aged 93)
Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
NationalityBritish
EducationWestminster City School
Alma materUniversity of London
Occupation(s)Surgeon, medical historian
Employers
Notable work
  • Cope's Early Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen
  • The Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen in Rhyme
Title
Spouse(s)Agnes Dora Newth (1909–1922, her death)
Alice May Watts (1923–1944, her death)
ChildrenOne daughter
Parent(s)Thomas John Gilbert Cope
Celia Ann Cope née Truscott

Sir Vincent Zachary Cope MD MS FRCS (14 February 1881 – 28 December 1974) was an English physician, surgeon, author, historian and poet perhaps best known for authoring the book Cope's Early Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen from 1921 until 1971. The work remains a respected and standard text of general surgery, and new editions continue being published by editors long after his death, the most recent one being the 22nd edition, published in 2010. Cope also wrote widely on the history of medicine and of public dispensaries.