Emmanuel Andrew Danino
Former consultant physician Morriston Hospital, Swansea, 1942-76 (b Gibraltar 1911; q St Bartholomew’s 1934; MD, FRCP; CBE), d 22 August 1998. During the war he served with the Royal Army Medical Corps in India and Malaya, and in 1947 returned to Morriston where he became consultant in charge with over 120 general medical beds. His main interest was in cardiorespiratory medicine, of particular relevance in south Wales, and he liaised closely with his colleagues in cardiothoracic surgery. Medical training posts at Morriston were in demand, not least because of Dan’s ability to teach and demonstrate at the same time as making the patients feel that they were the centre of attention. When the cardiac centre became fully operational in 1997 it was fitting that the cardiology ward should be named after him. He leaves a wife, Pamela; three sons; and five grandchildren.
Alexander Stuart Douglas
Emeritus professor of medicine Aberdeen University (b Aberdeen 1921; q Glasgow 1944 (with commendation); MD, FRCP), died suddenly of a pontine haemorrhage on 15 November 1998. He served from 1945-8 in the Royal Army Medical Corps, rising to the rank of major, and was mentioned in dispatches. When he won a Medical Research Council fellowship to work in the Blood Coagulation Research Unit in Oxford he and others devised the thromboplastin generation test. This led to the discovery that haemophilia was two separate disorders; the new variant was Christmas disease—later shown to be due to deficiency of factor IX. Stuart devoted the rest of his life to the study of blood coagulation and bleeding and later to the reciprocal problems of thrombosis. He returned to Glasgow, eventually becoming professor of medicine. In 1965 he was seconded to Nairobi to establish the new medical school, which he achieved despite logistic and political problems. He was professor of medicine at Aberdeen from 1970-85, where he established an important research base and developed the specialist clinical services and the department of offshore medicine. Many of the young researchers and clinicians he trained now hold senior posts round the world. In retirement his love of research continued and he was to be found each day in the university working on seasonality of disease. This resulted in over 20 papers in peer reviewed journals and a unique book on the subject. He leaves a wife, Christine; a son and a daughter; and three grandchildren.
by Charles Forbes and Ashley Mowat
Patrick Thomas Doyle
Consultant urologist Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge (b Exeter 1941; q St Bartholomew’s 1966), died from a myocardial infarct on 8 May 1998. Dedicated to his profession, Patrick was able with his hands and caring for his patients and colleagues. He always found time to get to know the staff be they medical colleague or theatre porter. He served as chairman of the consultant staff council, clinical director of surgery, and associate medical director. His diplomatic skills were in great demand and he served as medical adviser to the trust board complaints committee. Outside medicine Patrick enjoyed ornithology, classical music, and he had an encyclopaedic knowledge of pop music. He leaves a wife, Judith, and a son (also a doctor) and a daughter.
by G R Park
Ajay Gautama
Senior house officer Papworth Hospital, Cambridgeshire (b Wanstead 1972; q Guy’s 1996), died instantly in a road traffic accident on 3 April 1998. At the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s and St Thomas’s he captained the badminton club, the martial arts club, and the UMDS III football team, and still achieved academic success with ease. He gained a first in his radiological sciences BSc with research in ultrasonic angiology. He carried this interest into his clinical years, winning the clinical project prize and publishing his work. He was always the life and soul of the party, able to make everyone smile with his sense of humour and practical jokes. He did his house jobs in London before moving to Cambridge to start a two year SHO rotation in medicine. He was an outstanding young doctor who won respect through a combination of compassion, sensitivity, and good humour. He leaves his mother, sister, and brother.
by Annabel Wheatley
Graham Douglas Alexander Gordon
Trainee pathologist Ninewells Hospital, Dundee (b Perth 1971; q Cambridge/Glasgow 1995), died suddenly on 27 October 1998. After house jobs Graham embarked on a career in pathology and had always dreamed of doing forensic pathology. He excelled at sport and music at school, and at Magdalene College, Cambridge, he and some friends formed the Glee Club, a musical ensemble in which he played the clarinet. He was a keen golfer, skier, fisherman, and tennis player, and a lover of the arts. He had started writing a novel in the weeks before his death. Although never accused of being conventional, and at times deeply troubled, he was caring and sensitive, with a great sense of fun and adventure. He leaves his family and his girlfriend, Fiona, also a trainee pathologist.
by Fiona Murdoch
Frank James
Former general practitioner Charlton, London, 1950-90 (b Aberdare, Glamorgan, 1920; q St Mary’s 1943), died from bronchopneumonia on 14 November 1998. During the war he served with the Royal Army Medical Corps in Malaya, Burma, and India. He worked in a busy urban practice, but was medical officer for Charlton Athletic Football Club, 1952 to 1972, and at Siemens Brothers (later AEI) for many years. When he retired he pursued his interests of classical music, biographies, and international rugby and cricket. Predeceased by a son, he leaves a wife, Margaret; two sons; a daughter; and four grandchildren.
by John James
Robert Johnson
Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Arrowe Park Hospital, Wirral (b 1941; q Manchester 1965; FRCS, MCh), d 22 July 1998. Bob’s training rotation took him to Wrightington in 1974 where John Charnley had pioneered the low friction arthroplasty of the hip. His enthusiasm impressed Charnley and together they published several papers. Bob’s main interest lay with knees, and, with Dr Martin Elloy of C F Thackerays, he developed one of the earliest meniscal knee replacements—the “accord knee.” He published numerous articles on the results and arranged for a series of research fellows to help and review his work. In 1993 he established a knee clinic and gave up his NHS appointment to concentrate on the subject, but allowed time to ensure that his golf handicap remained below 10. Unknown to all but his family Bob had had insulin dependent diabetes for 27 years and he had a cerebrovascular accident in 1995. He leaves a wife, Dorothy (“Dee”), and a son and daughter.
by James R Loudon and Leslie Klenerman
Leslie Ely (“Peter”) Lucas
Former general practitioner Huddersfield (b Edinburgh 1905; q Edinburgh 1929), died from heart failure on 5 November 1998. Peter served in the Royal Army Medical Corps in the second world war and was in command of a mobile hospital in north Africa and Italy. He returned to his singlehanded practice in Linthwaite, amalgamating in the 1950s with neighbouring colleagues; he was senior partner until he retired in 1991. For 21 years he was medical officer at St Luke’s Hospital, Huddersfield, and visited daily. He was an originator and trustee of the Huddersfield Medical Society, and past chairman of the BMA division and Huddersfield Medical Society. At the time of boundary changes in 1974 he was chairman of Huddersfield Local Medical Committee and what could have been a difficult amalgamation with Dewsbury was accomplished in no small measure by his diplomacy. Proud of his Scottish ancestry, he was a member and president of the Huddersfield St Andrews Society and was interested in golf, music, and debating. He continued to practise complementary medicine, especially acupuncture, until a year before he died. He leaves a wife, Sheila.
by John Oldroyd
Archibald (“Archie”) Adam Martin
Former consultant psychiatrist Lancaster Moor Hospital, 1952-81 (b 1915; q Glasgow 1940; MRCPsych, DPM), died from a short illness complicating Alzheimer’s disease on 19 May 1998. He served in the Royal Army Medical Corps with the XIV army from 1942 to 1947, became adviser in psychiatry to the allied land forces in Siam and Burma with the rank of major, and was mentioned in dispatches. At Lancaster Moor he and his colleagues transformed an old-style mental hospital into a comprehensive hospital within a few years. He established an electroencephalography department where he pursued his interest in epilepsy. Archie developed a considerable practice in forensic psychiatry, which he continued after his retirement, and he served on the Parole Board in the 1980s. He was courteous and patient so that punctuality was sometimes a problem. As a keen amateur astronomer he managed to time his attendance at solar eclipses. His family were francophiles and family holidays were often spent in the Lot region, where he purchased some land. He leaves a wife, May; a son (a doctor); and a daughter.
by John R Theobalds
George May
Former general practitioner Bolsover, Derbyshire (b Fraserburgh 1923; q Aberdeen 1947), died from a myocardial infarction on 26 August 1998. In his early years in practice he had an interest in home confinements, and in one year alone was responsible for over 300 deliveries before hospital births became more popular. He was medical officer for the Coalite and Chemical Company for 44 years and was involved in investigating an explosion in 1968 and the subsequent follow up of personnel. He was later asked to advise on a similar explosion at Seveso in Italy. He never forgot his north east roots and for many years ran a fur farm near Muir of Ord as a hobby. His other chief interest was his garden. Predeceased by a daughter, who died of primary pulmonary hypertension, he leaves a wife, Margaret (a retired general practitioner); two sons (one a consultant anaesthetist); and nine grandchildren.
by Margaret May and John May
Cecil Ashby Mays
Former anaesthetist (b Lincoln 1923; q Manchester 1948), died from a dissecting aortic aneurysm on 7 March 1998. After jobs in anaesthetics in Manchester and Salford he changed course and was an orthopaedic registrar at Tameside General Hospital. He then resumed his career in anaesthetics and specialised in dental anaesthesia. He worked with many dentists in Manchester and was employed by Cheshire County Council for over 25 years, working on a sessional basis until he was 70. He was supportive to many young, inexperienced dentists and always gave them the optimum conditions in which to operate—even though one sometimes flinched at his skill with Mason’s gags. Outside medicine his interests were his dogs, music, theatre, and opera. He leaves a wife, Joan (a retired cardiologist); a daughter (a general practitioner); and three grandchildren.
by C F H Vickers and Geoff Taylor
Robert (“Bob”) Richard Weir Mirrey
Former general practitioner Kinghorn, Fife, 1958-85 (b Edinburgh 1924; q Edinburgh 1946; MRCGP, DRCOG), died of myocardial ischaemia on 25 October 1998. After house jobs and a spell in the Royal Army Medical Corps, which took him to Malaysia, Bob entered general practice. Behind a rather reserved exterior was a caring personality. His work and hobby were one and the same—the practice. His library was extensive, his subscriptions to journals substantial, and his holidays would be spent at a medical conference in any of the five continents. Later in his career he explored alternative therapies, becoming a proficient hypnotist. Bob was a GP trainer and honorary medical adviser to the lifeboat station. He became an authority on naval history. He leaves a wife, Nan; three sons; and a granddaughter.
by Robert M L Weir