Deputy Surgeon-General John Small (28 January 1823 – July 1879) was a British Army officer, physician, and early advocate for the use of large doses of quinine to treat malaria.

His father was a silversmith, jeweller and auctioneer on Edinburgh's Advocate's Close.

Small began his medical career as an apprentice under J. F. MacFarlan in the North Bridge section of Edinburgh.

[2] He was later reassigned to Africa to fight in the Cape Frontier Wars, for which he received a medal.

[6] Small was promoted to deputy surgeon-general in 1875 and placed in charge of medical services in the Woolwich district in London.