Academic. Born at Wamphray (Dumfriesshire), the son of a schoolmaster and younger brother of churchman Rev. Prof. Archibald Charteris (1835 - 1908), Charteris studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, graduating in 1863. He initially worked in private practice, becoming a visiting physician at Glasgow Royal Infirmary (1874-83), Professor of Medicine at Anderson's College (1876-80) and then served as Regius Professor of Materia Medica at the University of Glasgow (1880-97). Charteris wrote Practice of Medicine, first published in 1878 and extending to seven editions.
His sons were Francis Charteris (1875 - 1964), who became Professor of Materia Medica at the University of St. Andrews, Archibald Charteris (1874 - 1940), Challis Professor of International Law and Jurisprudence at the University of Sydney in Australia, and John Charteris (1877 - 1946), who was led British Intelligence during the FIrst World War.