british medical obituary-

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BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL 28 JUNE 1980 1623~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ OBITUARY- GAVIN THURSTON CBE, FRCP, FRCGP, DCH, DMG, Barrister-at-law Dr Gavin Thurston, who was formerly the coroner for Westminster and deputy coroner to the Royal Household, died on 15 June. He was 69. Gavin Thurston was born in London on 26 March 1911 and educated at Dul- wich College. He qualified in medi- ^ .¢9 cine from Guy's Hospital, London, in 1933 and took the MRCP in _ 1937. He went i.nto general practice in Brent- wood, Essex, and _ during the second world war served with the RAMC in India and north-west Europe as specialist in medicine, reaching the rank of lieutenant-colonel. On returning from the war Dr Thurston came under the influence of the Metropolitan Essex coroner and subsequently became deputy to the leading coroner of the day, Sir William Bentley Purchase. He was called to the Bar of the -Inner Temple in 1952. With more deputy- ships he rapidly gained experience, and on the death of Neville Stafford in 1956 was appointed coroner for West (later Inner West) London, centred at Westminster. He -served in that office for 25 years with quiet authority and dignity, and gave satisfaction to hospital administrators, doctors, and lawyers-not an easy combination. Not least satisfied were the tens of thousands of relatives who passed through his court, often in a state of anxiety and grief, who were treated with tact and humanity. Dr Thurston never used his position to bully or browbeat anyone; he was amiable with a cheerfulness that belied his office. Gavin Thurston became a lecturer in forensic medicine to the West London Hospital in 1956. He was secretary of the Coroners' Society of England and Wales for many years, and later the president, and always a source of advice to his fellows. The gratitude of the medicolegal world was reflected in his editor- ship of the Medico-Legal journal and presi- dency of the Medico-Legal Society. A founder member of the British Academy of Forensic Sciences, he was an examiner for the diploma of medical jurisprudence for some years, and for the Milburn Prize. It was a source of pride for him to be elected fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London and fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners. For many years he served on the Council of the Medical Defence Union. He was appointed CBE in 1966. Gavin Thurston contributed to parts of Jervis on Coroners and to the section on coroners in Halsbury's Laws of England, and in 1976 wrote his own authoritative work, Coronership. He liked writing, and found time to write Coroner's Practice, The Great Thames Disaster, and The Clerkenwell Riot, as well as an article of worldwide reference on "The point of death." He presided over more "famous cases" than any other coroner. The late Professor Gordon Hamilton Fairley and Airey Neave were among some recent bombing cases; the death at the India House siege and that of Lord Lucan's nanny required particular patience and application. The newsworthy often passed through his court-Stephen Ward, Freddie Mills, Adlai Stevenson, Brian Epstein-and more theatrical figures such as Judy Garland, Keith Moon, Mamma Cass, and Jimi Hendrix. A new cause of death was illustrated in the inquest on Georgi Markov. These cases were all quietly conducted with firmness and dignity. Gavin Thurston enjoyed family life and in recent years took pleasure in his country home in tranquil Sussex. Tragically, he lost his first wife in a street accident, but subsequently married a talented doctor, Janet, a specialist in community medicine, who restored his jovial personality and was a keen companion at medicolegal and forensic meetings. He is also survived by his son John, a consultant phy- sician in London, and his daughter Mary.- PAK. R M FRY MRCS, LRCP Dr R M Fry, well known for his work on streptococci and for the Public Health Laboratory Service, died on 4 June. He was 83. Rowdon Marrian Fry was born on 8 July 1896, only son of t-he architect Joseph Harry Fry. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School and intended to follow his father's profession, but with the outbreak of the first world war he joined the Middlesex Regiment. When serving in that regiment he volunteered for the Royal Flying Corps and was accepted; while awaiting transfer, however, "My life was saved by being wounded on the first day of the battle of the Somme." He spent a year in hospital, which turned his thoughts towards medicine, and on his discharge from the Army he entered St Mary's Hospital Medical School, qualifying in 1922. After a year in the pathology department, working under Professor Kettle, Fry turned to bacteriology, in which he was to make his career. In 1924 Fry was appointed as assistant to Sir Almroth Wright in the inoculation department at St Mary's Hospital. He worked with slide- cell cultures, opsonins, and the like, and rubbed shoulders with many other excellent bacteriologists such as Freeman, Fleming, and Hare. In 1931 Fry joined the Colebrooks and Hare as assistant director.of the Bernhard Baron Research Laboratories at Queen Charlotte's Hospital, London, where his special interest in the streptococci developed. At that time puerperal sepsis was a serious problem and the main purpose of the team was to combat it. This proved to be an important development for medical bacteriology because the team undertook the first successful clinical trials of Prontosil in Britain. When the second world war threatened, Fry was asked to join the Emergency Public Health Laboratory Service. He directed laboratories for three months at Gloucester, and then for five-and-a-half years at Car- marthen. In 1946 he transferred to Cambridge as university director of the PHLS laboratory, which was then housed in the department of pathology. A separate building was provided later, but the close association with the university department continued. In 1963 Fry "retired," only to take on the editorship of the Journal of Hygiene, in which he was active until his death. Many authors will remember with gratitude his consideration and kindness. Fry's influence for good was immense. He was a first-class teacher and rapidly established rapport with students. He loved people, and wherever he went unofficial clubs sprang up. The composition of these groups, who found his companionship and humour irresistible, was notable for its variety and embraced all age groups. He hated only two things: flummery and his given names. To all he was just "Fry" and this very fact some- how epitomised the great affection and respect in which he was held. He was a man of many activities. His interest in astronomy began while a schoolboy and continued throughout his life. At one time he edited the Journal of the British Astronomical Association; he became a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1938 asd served on their council for a period. Many of us who had no previous interest in the subject were idfected with his enthusiasm and it was a treat to be taken to the end of his garden to peer heaven- wards with a reflector telescope that he had acquired from the actor Will Hay. Character- istically, when he ceased observations himself, he gave the telescope to a young enthusiast, who is making notable use of it. He was fond of music, a keen gardener, a brewer of beer, and had countless other activities which he pursued with energy and enthusiasm. Fry leaves many friends for whom Cam- bridge will never be quite the same. All of us will wish to express our sympathy to his wife Grace and to their daughters.-PW. JWH writes: Fry was as wise as he was benign. His advice was widely sought; and it was good. As a laboratory director he generated loyalty and affection, and in order to stay with him many refused tempting offers of promotion. As a streptococcal epidemiologist he was in the front rank. Unfortunately many of his inter- esting observations remain only as word-of- mouth accounts. He was more interested in pursuing good clues than publishing the results of his searches; but enough is on record to show his quality. From the early days of suiphonamides he was a leader in establishing their usefulness in preventing and treating purpural infection. Later he became a convinced advocate of sulphonamide snuff for limiting the spread of 1623 BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL 28 juNE 1980

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Page 1: BRITISH MEDICAL OBITUARY-

BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL 28JUNE 1980 1623~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OBITUARY-

GAVIN THURSTONCBE, FRCP, FRCGP, DCH, DMG,Barrister-at-lawDr Gavin Thurston, who was formerly thecoroner for Westminster and deputy coroner

to the Royal Household, died on 15 June. Hewas 69.Gavin Thurston was born in London on 26

March 1911 andeducated at Dul-

wich College. Hequalified in medi-

^ .¢9 cine from Guy'sHospital, London,in 1933 and took

the MRCP in

_ 1937. He went

i.nto generalpractice in Brent-

wood, Essex, and

_ during the secondworld war served

with the RAMCin India and

north-west Europe as specialist in medicine,reaching the rank of lieutenant-colonel. Onreturning from the war Dr Thurston cameunder the influence of the Metropolitan Essexcoroner and subsequently became deputy tothe leading coroner of the day, Sir WilliamBentley Purchase. He was called to the Bar ofthe-Inner Temple in 1952. With more deputy-ships he rapidly gained experience, and on thedeath ofNeville Stafford in 1956 was appointedcoroner for West (later Inner West) London,centred at Westminster. He -served in thatoffice for 25 years with quiet authority anddignity, and gave satisfaction to hospitaladministrators, doctors, and lawyers-not aneasy combination. Not least satisfied were thetens of thousands of relatives who passedthrough his court, often in a state of anxietyand grief, who were treated with tact andhumanity. Dr Thurston never used his positionto bully or browbeat anyone; he was amiablewith a cheerfulness that belied his office.

Gavin Thurston became a lecturer inforensic medicine to the West London Hospitalin 1956. He was secretary of the Coroners'Society of England and Wales for many years,and later the president, and always a source ofadvice to his fellows. The gratitude of themedicolegal world was reflected in his editor-ship of the Medico-Legal journal and presi-dency of the Medico-Legal Society. A foundermember of the British Academy of ForensicSciences, he was an examiner for the diplomaof medical jurisprudence for some years, andfor the Milburn Prize. It was a source of pridefor him to be elected fellow of the RoyalCollege of Physicians of London and fellow ofthe Royal College of General Practitioners.For many years he served on the Council ofthe Medical Defence Union. He was appointedCBE in 1966.Gavin Thurston contributed to parts of

Jervis on Coroners and to the section oncoroners in Halsbury's Laws of England, andin 1976 wrote his own authoritative work,

Coronership. He liked writing, and found timeto write Coroner's Practice, The Great ThamesDisaster, and The Clerkenwell Riot, as well asan article of worldwide reference on "Thepoint of death." He presided over more"famous cases" than any other coroner. Thelate Professor Gordon Hamilton Fairley andAirey Neave were among some recent bombingcases; the death at the India House siege andthat of Lord Lucan's nanny required particularpatience and application. The newsworthyoften passed through his court-StephenWard, Freddie Mills, Adlai Stevenson, BrianEpstein-and more theatrical figures such asJudy Garland, Keith Moon, Mamma Cass, andJimi Hendrix. A new cause of death wasillustrated in the inquest on Georgi Markov.These cases were all quietly conducted withfirmness and dignity.Gavin Thurston enjoyed family life and in

recent years took pleasure in his country homein tranquil Sussex. Tragically, he lost his firstwife in a street accident, but subsequentlymarried a talented doctor, Janet, a specialistin community medicine, who restored hisjovial personality and was a keen companion atmedicolegal and forensic meetings. He is alsosurvived by his son John, a consultant phy-sician in London, and his daughter Mary.-PAK.

R M FRYMRCS, LRCP

Dr R M Fry, well known for his work onstreptococci and for the Public HealthLaboratory Service, died on 4 June. He was 83.Rowdon Marrian Fry was born on 8 July

1896, only son of t-he architect Joseph HarryFry. He was educated at Merchant Taylors'School and intended to follow his father'sprofession, but with the outbreak of the firstworld war he joined the Middlesex Regiment.When serving in that regiment he volunteeredfor the Royal Flying Corps and was accepted;while awaiting transfer, however, "My life wassaved by being wounded on the first day of thebattle of the Somme." He spent a year inhospital, which turned his thoughts towardsmedicine, and on his discharge from the Armyhe entered St Mary's Hospital Medical School,qualifying in 1922. After a year in the pathologydepartment, working under Professor Kettle,Fry turned to bacteriology, in which he was tomake his career.

In 1924 Fry was appointed as assistant to SirAlmroth Wright in the inoculation departmentat St Mary's Hospital. He worked with slide-cell cultures, opsonins, and the like, andrubbed shoulders with many other excellentbacteriologists such as Freeman, Fleming, andHare. In 1931 Fry joined the Colebrooks andHare as assistant director.of the Bernhard BaronResearch Laboratories at Queen Charlotte'sHospital, London, where his special interestin the streptococci developed. At that timepuerperal sepsis was a serious problem and themain purpose of the team was to combat it.This proved to be an important development

for medical bacteriology because the teamundertook the first successful clinical trials ofProntosil in Britain.When the second world war threatened, Fry

was asked to join the Emergency PublicHealth Laboratory Service. He directedlaboratories for three months at Gloucester,and then for five-and-a-half years at Car-marthen. In 1946 he transferred to Cambridgeas university director of the PHLS laboratory,which was then housed in the department ofpathology. A separate building was providedlater, but the close association with theuniversity department continued.

In 1963 Fry "retired," only to take on theeditorship of theJournal of Hygiene, in whichhe was active until his death. Many authorswill remember with gratitude his considerationand kindness. Fry's influence for good wasimmense. He was a first-class teacher andrapidly established rapport with students. Heloved people, and wherever he went unofficialclubs sprang up. The composition of thesegroups, who found his companionship andhumour irresistible, was notable for its varietyand embraced all age groups. He hated onlytwo things: flummery and his given names. Toall he was just "Fry" and this very fact some-how epitomised the great affection and respectin which he was held.He was a man ofmany activities. His interest

in astronomy began while a schoolboy andcontinued throughout his life. At one time heedited the Journal of the British AstronomicalAssociation; he became a fellow of the RoyalAstronomical Society in 1938 asd served ontheir council for a period. Many of us who hadno previous interest in the subject were idfectedwith his enthusiasm and it was a treat to betaken to the end of his garden to peer heaven-wards with a reflector telescope that he hadacquired from the actor Will Hay. Character-istically, when he ceased observations himself,he gave the telescope to a young enthusiast,who is making notable use of it. He was fondofmusic, a keen gardener, a brewer of beer, andhad countless other activities which he pursuedwith energy and enthusiasm.

Fry leaves many friends for whom Cam-bridge will never be quite the same. All of uswill wish to express our sympathy to his wifeGrace and to their daughters.-PW.

JWH writes: Fry was as wise as he was benign.His advice was widely sought; and it was good.As a laboratory director he generated loyaltyand affection, and in order to stay with himmany refused tempting offers of promotion.As a streptococcal epidemiologist he was in thefront rank. Unfortunately many of his inter-esting observations remain only as word-of-mouth accounts. He was more interested inpursuing good clues than publishing theresults of his searches; but enough is onrecord to show his quality.

From the early days of suiphonamides hewas a leader in establishing their usefulness inpreventing and treating purpural infection.Later he became a convinced advocate ofsulphonamide snuff for limiting the spread of

1623BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL 28 juNE 1980

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BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL 28 JuNE 1980

streptococcal respiratory infections withinclosed communities such as schools andfamilies. Not everyone agreed with Fry and hisimmediate associates that the results were

quite as good as he claimed. Too much of theevidence was anecdotal and unpublished tocarry complete conviction; but the work was

enthusiastically pursued and often informativeabout how exactly streptococci got around.He did a splendid job both at Carmarthen

and at Cambridge. At Carmarthen he lit a newlight; at Cambridge he gave fresh life to an oldone, especially by contributing to the successfulcollaboration between the Public HealthLaboratory Service and the university depart-ment of pathology. Fry was happy as a memberof Trinity Hall, whose traditions and generoushospitality he enjoyed. I recall an occasionwhen the port was served to a distinguishedcompany and one of its number commentedthat it seemed like a very good extract ofliquorice. Fry overheard and did not dissent,but he sternly forbade a repetition of thejudgment: "That was a great port 10 yearsago," he said, "and we must' respect itsmemory." Somehow the incident was typicalof Fry: correct judgment allied to charitableconduct.

J G HUMBLECVO, MB, MRCS, FRCP, FRCPATH

Dr J G Humble, formerly professor ofhaematology at Westminster Medical School,died on 10 June. He was 66.Joseph Graeme Humble was born on 10

July 1913. He went from Bedford ModemSchool to King'sCollege, London,and on to West-

minster MedicalSchool and Hos-pital, where he

stayed until his

retirement as

emeritus professorin 1978. He quali-

fied in 1937 andworked at the hos-pital throughout

the war, becomingsenior lecturerand consultant

haematologist in 1949, reader in 1964, andprofessor in 1972.

In 1956 he began to pioneer the moderntechnique of bone-marrow transplantationwhereby, through needles inserted into thepelvic bones or sternum, marrow was aspiratedinto heparinised tissue culture fluid. Afterremoval of fat and particles capable of causingembolisation the concentrated cells wereinfused into a vein of the recipient to find theirown way to the bone marrow. The departmentalso pioneered cryopreservation of replicablecells in liquid nitrogen. These methods are

still the most widely used throughout theworld. In the first phase the use of thetechniques was mainly confined to identicaltwins and autologous procedures. Whentissue-typing and immunological selectionbecame available a second phase began at theWestminster in January 1971. Joe Humblecollected marrow from a normal 4year-old

boy for his infant sister who was dying ofimmunodeficiency: both are alive and well.In September 1971 the world's-first successfulnon-sibling donor was used, a father: as Joesaid of that surviving son, "He's two chips off

the old block." In 1972 a single donor was

used once for two affected siblings, a "doublefirst." Then, in 1973, came the world's firstsuccessful graft from a matched unrelateddonor to Simon Bostic. Joe's department alsomade many contributions on bone-marrowculture.

Doctors will remember Joe as one whoalways placed the interests of the patient first,and who had fine judgment of how far to go

with modern treatments. As a medical studenthe was a great sportsman, played rugby for thefirst fifteen, and association football for theUnited Hospitals. He was a skilled wicket-keeper, and took this position in many staffv student matches. As a much-loved teacherhe was elected to many offices in the studentunion, including president of the rugby club.In academic committees he spoke not oftenbut mainly in the interests of students. AtWestminster and in the University of LondonI never met anyone, lay or medical, who didnot have-a great affection and respect for him.

Joe Humble's hobby- was history, and hisgreat feeling for Westminster is evident in hishistory of the school and hospital. Heepitomised the spirit of the place. He leaveshis wife Ain and three sons; Westminstersincerely shires their loss, but wasn't it greathaving him ?-JRH.

T L H SHOREMA, MB, BCH, MRCS, LRCP

Dr T L H Shore, formerly consultant physi-cian to the Taunton and Somerset HospitalGroup, died suddenly at his home on 2 June.He was 70.Thomas Leonard Hall Shore was born on

11 September 1909, the only son of the lateDr Lewis Erle Shore, OBE. He was educatedat Rugby School, St John's College,Cambridge, and the London Hospital, wherehe qualified in 1934. After various residentappointments at the London Hospital DrShore came to Taunton in January 1939.He served in the RAMC from October 1942until October 1946 as a medical specialist inIndia with South-East Asia Command. Onhis return to Taunton in 1946 he took up hisappointment as consultant physician to theTaunton and Somerset Hospital Group. Hewas also medical officer to Taunton School,King's College, Taunton, and ConnaughtHouse School, and retired in September 1974.Dr Shore was a wise and comnpassionate

physician, whose colleagues will rememberhim for his scrupulous care of patients, soundjudgment, humanity, and, above all, for hisintegrity. He was much loved and respectedby all who knew and worked with him, andgave freely of his time to several medical staff

duties and management committees. Hemarried in 1939 and is survived by his wifeMadeleine.-RDR.

E E WYNNEMDI

Dr Edward Wynne who had been in generalpractice at Hornchurch and Rainham since1951, died -on 30 May after a short illness.He was 67.

Edward Emanuel Wynne was born atRohatyn, Poland, in 1913, and later went to,France, where he graduated in medicine atNancy in 1938. The next few years were turbu-lent for him. He was caught up in the Nazi

invasion of France but escaped to the unoccu-pied zone. When the Nazis later invadedunoccupied France Dr Wynne managed toreach Spain, mainly on foot, walking throughthe Pyrenees. He was then interned in aSpanish prison for three months before beingallowed into Britain. Subsequently he prac-tised surgery in an emergency medical unit atChelmsford Hospital. After the war he enteredgeneral practice, and practised in a partnershipfor many years until just before his death.Edward Wynne was a popular and well-

known family doctor. His quiet manner con-cealed a strong but flexible personality, andin a crisis his practical approach and sense ofproportion, tempered by his past experiences,made his advice and support invaluable. Hewill be sadly missed by his colleagues, by awide circle of friends, and not least by hispatients. He is survived by his wife Dorothyand by a son, Austen, who is a surgicalregistrar.-DDC, MJK.

E J SILVERMANMRCS, LRCPDr Eric Silverman, who was in generalpractice in the Newham area of London forover 50 years, died on 3 June. He was 79.Ephraim Jair Silverman was bom on 29

December in the East End of London ofRussian/Polish parents; he attended theWhitechapel Foundation (Davenant) School,where many emi-nent and dis-tinguished peoplewere educated.After matricu-lation he enteredthe MiddlesexHospital MedicalSchool, where hequalified in 1927.Dr Silvermanthen undertook his'clinical assistant-ship in Walworth,London, beforestarting his ownpractice. He was elected an honorary lifemember of the British Red Cross Society in1946 after working with the Air Raid Pre-cautions organisation during the second worldwar. After 50 years he was made an honorarylife member of the BMA.Dr Silverman took an active interest in

sport. An ardent supporter of his local footballteam, for many years he served as a medicalofficer to the boxing association. In spite ofmany episodes of serious ill health, he alwaysreturned to practise his chosen vocation. Hemarried in 1927 and is survived by his wife, adaughter, and a son who graduated from thesame medical school.-LSS.

G D ROWLEYBSC, MB, CHB, MCHORTH

Mr Gordon Rowley, formerly an orthopaedicsurgeon at Swansea, died suddenly there on22 May at the age of 68.Gordon David Rowley was born in Canada

on 29 May 1911, and as a young man had thedistinction of playing ice hockey for hiscountry in the Olympic games. It was whiletaking part in this sport that he received an eyeinjury which was to affect his career in lateryears. He came to Britain in the 1930s and

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BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL 28 JUNE 1980

received his medical degree at Edinburgh in1934. His junior appointments at Edinburgh,Liverpool, and Oswestry indicated his growinginterest in the orthopaedic care of children,which was to become one of his main concerns.He came to Swansea in 1947, a master oforthopaedic surgery of the University ofLiverpool, and was the first consultantsurgeon to be appointed west of Cardiff. Thetask of building a service in such a large area

was formidable, but his great organisingability was fully equal to it and he set up anddeveloped a series of children's orthopaedicclinics after the Oswestry pattern, providingalso for the orthopaedic and traumatic needsof the adults in the community. Swansea andWest Wales now have a large and well-runorganisation for orthopaedics and trauma thatowes much to his efforts.Gordon Rowley's other main professional

interest was in the orthopaedic aspects ofsports medicine. An athlete himself in hisyouth, he understood the needs of young menand women injured in sport and was formany years the respected adviser to varioussporting clubs. In 1975 he was appointedhonorary surgeon to the Welsh Rugby Union.He was never at a loss for an opinion or a

diagnosis, always ready to give the benefit ofhis professional experience when asked, andincluded a wealth of comment or anecdote forgood measure. Essentially a conservativesurgeon, particularly when treating children,he distrusted the quick operative approachbut was always willing to accept the advantagesof surgery when they were proved to hissatisfaction. He had a phenomenal memoryand for that reason was an expert diagnostician.He retired from the Health Service in 1976but continued to work among us in hismedicolegal practice and was an active forcein the sporting world until his death. Hisstrong personality and pungent sense ofhumour will be sadly missed.-DMD, EME.

M DAMANSKIMD, FRCS

Mr M Damanski, honorary consultant at theLiverpool Regional Paraplegic Centre, South-port, died on 5 June after a short illness. Hewas 83.Marek Damanski was born in eastern Poland

and completed his schooling in Vienna, wherehe was caught up in the first world war. Heentered medical school at Lwow, where hequalified MD in 1923 and subsequentlytrained in genitourinary surgery. In 1932 hewas appointed as a specialist to the localrailway employees policlinic and his work wasrecognised by election to membership of theInternational Society of Urology seven yearslater.At the outbreak of the second world war

Marek Damanski's private consulting roomswere destroyed in the first wave of bombings,but by that time he had joined No 6 MilitaryHospital. After Russia had entered the waragainst Germany he served in the Ukraine andSiberia-where he often suffered terribleprivations-before joining the Polish Division,which subsequently came under the commandof the British Middle-Eastern and Central

Mediterranean Forces. As a result of thisexperience, and after being reunited with hiswife in France, he settled in England, wherehis first post was that of medical officer toNo 3 Polish Hospital, Penley.

In 1949 Damanski was appointed seniorhospital medical officer to the Liverpool

1625

Paraplegic Centre at Southport, where hisdedicated work was eventually recognised bypromotion to consultant-in-charge. He was atireless worker, whose perfectionism played a

large part in raising the standard of manage-ment of paraplegia both in Britain and abroad.His intense interest in clinical research re-sulted in publication of over two dozen papersand the conferment in 1967 of honoraryfellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons(one of the proudest moments of his life).Marek Damanski's patients trusted him

implicitly, and he endeared himself to hiscolleagues and staff by his integrity and old-world courtesy. When he reached retiringage he was deemed irreplaceable for a furtherthree years, after which he was in great demandas a locum geriatrician. He is survived by hiswife Irene, a talented portrait painter who wasa great source of strength to him. Their onlychild, a girl then aged 13, disappeared withouttrace during the German occupation, but theyboth maintained a dignified silence about thistragedy.-NOKG.

F WEWALKAMD

Professor Friedrich Wewalka, head of medicinein the first university clinic of the Universityof Vienna, died on 17 May.

SS writes: The world of hepatology mournsthe tragic death of Professor FriedrichWewalka. He made many advances in our

understanding of amino-acid and alpha feto-protein metabolism in patients with liverdisease. He was a pioneer in the epidemiologyof hepatitis B in Austria. In his early days hehad been a British Council fellow in theUniversity of Leeds, and had a warm regardfor everything British. It is indeed sad that hedied from a condition affecting the liver. Hetruly gave his life for hepatic research.

H C WHITEBSC, MB, CHB, FRCPED, FRCPSYCH, DPM

MS writes: Dr Howard White (obituary,7 June, p 1380) was a fine example of a cohortof Birmingham graduates who establishedsuccessful careers in psychiatry. He was theone to remain in Birmingham, and when Iput him forward for a Foundation Fund fellow-ship he was interviewed by Dr John Romano,who was then visiting us. Dr Romano wasimpressed, congratulated us on having such a

good candidate, and immediately arranged forhim to work with Peter Knapp in Boston onthe psychosomatic aspects of respiratory dis-ease. His death is a great tragedy, for he wasjust reaching the stage of providing the leader-ship and experience which not only Britishpsychiatry but British medicine needs. Hisclarity of thought and speech and his patentintegrity inspired confidence, and his in-telligence gave him a rare insight into thepolitics of medicine. He had already achievedmuch; we can only speculate as to how muchmore he would have contributed, but all thesigns were there. The Birmingham school haslost one of its illustrious alumni, and those ofus who saw his worth at the start and en-

couraged his entry into psychiatry mourn theloss yet take comfort that he contributed somuch to the enrichment of our lives. His wifeMoira was a tremendous support to himthroughout his career and suffered all thedemands on his time willingly and cheerfully.

D V DUCKWORTHMB, BS, FRCGP, DOBSTRCOG

GWD writes: During the second world warDennis Duckworth (obituary 7 June, p 1380)served in the 14th Army throughout theBurma campaign and was mentioned indispatches. Despite attempts to persuade himto remain in the armed Forces he wasdetermined to study medicine and started atGuy's Hospital among the first group of ex-servicemen, who shared his strong motivation.He was a keen sportsman, represented Guy'sat tennis and hockey, and played tennis forUnited Hospitals. Later he became anenthusiastic climber. Although unable tocontinue in general practice because of illhealth Duckworth concerned himself withcauses for the benefit of others, and he wasactive in the Watford branch of the BritishRheumatism Association, of which he becamechairman until compelled to retire. In-capacitating illness must have been particularlyirksome to such a sportsman, but DennisDuckworth showed cheerfulness and greatcourage, backed by spiritual strength, incoping with his disability. The support of hisfamily, especially in the last stages of hisillness, won the deep admiration of manyfriends and patients. He was an exemplarydoctor who showed warmth and compassion tohis patients, many of whom became hisfriends; an inspiration to those who knew himwell, he will be sadly missed.

M P BROWNEMBE, MRCS, LRCP, DTM&H

HR writes: I read with regret of MauriceBrowne's death (obituary, 7 June, p 1380).He was a fine example of a diminishing groupof British doctors who served the Africansdevotedly. The last I saw of him was in 1944when he was setting out on a pedal cycle acrossmiles of bush in the tropical sun to do whathe could with an outbreak of meningitis,knowing, because he had little chemotherapyand no antibiotics, that his best hope lay ina prayer for rain to settle the dust and curtailthe spread of the epidemic. His was not a

wasted life.

W MACFARLANEMB, CHB, FRCOG

DGL writes: Mr W Macfarlane's tragic anduntimely death in the Tenerife air disaster(obituary, 24 May, p 1274) came as a greatshock to many people, not least to thoseobstetricians who were fortunate enough towork with him during their training. Of themany qualities for which he will be affection-ately remembered the most outstanding was thegreat kindness that he extended to all whocame in contact with him. He will be greatlymissed.

We regret to announce that Sir DerrickDunlop, formerly professor of therapeuticsand clinical medicine at the University ofEdinburgh and first chairman of the Safetyof Drugs Committee, died on 19 June. Anobituary will be published in a later issue.

We regret to announce that Professor W A HRushton, emeritus professor of visual physio-logy at the University of Cambridge, died on21 June. An obituary will be published in alater issue.