Sir Charles Ritchie Burns (27 May 1898 – 8 February 1985) was a New Zealand medical doctor and medical administrator.
Burns was born in Blenheim, New Zealand, on 27 May 1898, and was educated at Marlborough High School and Nelson College. He studied medicine at the University of Otago graduating MBChB in 1922 and MD in 1925.
After graduating Burns worked mostly at Dunedin Hospital and studied in Britain. He became known for his use of insulin in the treatment of diabetes and raw liver to alleviate pernicious anaemia. In 1938 he became Director of Medicine at Auckland Hospital for two years after which he returned to Wellington as a physician and head of cardiology at Wellington Hospital.
In World War II he served on hospital ships in the New Zealand Medical Corps in the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force in 1944âÂÂ1945, then in Italy and as medical officer to the J Force in Japan from 1946 to 1948.
After the war Burns returned to Wellington Hospital. He developed an interest in the treatment of alcoholism becoming medical director at Queen Mary Hospital in Hanmer Springs in 1969. He became clinical director of the National Society on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.
Burns was active in numerous medical organisations: the RACP, the Medical Council, the Nutrition Society of New Zealand, the Wellington Diabetic Society, the New Zealand Asthma Society, the Lepersâ Trust Board (NZ) and the Wellington Association for Deaf Children.
Burns died in Auckland on 8 February 1985.
Burns received the War Medal and New Zealand War Service Medal. In the 1948 New Year Honours, Burns was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. He was promoted to Knight Commander of the same order in the 1958 Queen's Birthday Honours, for services to medicine.