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Obituary

THOMAS PERCY CLAUDE KIRKPATRICK

B.A., M.D., Litt.D. Dubl., D.Litt. N.U.I., F.R.C.P., F.R.C.P.I.

Dr. T. P. C. Kirkpatrick died in Dublin on July 9 atthe age of 85. As registrar of the Royal College ofPhysicians of Ireland, vice-president of the Royal IrishAcademy, general secretary of the Royal Academy ofMedicine in Ireland, and physician to Dr. Steevens’Hospital, a university lecturer on anaesthetics, andhonorary professor of the history of medicine in theUniversity of Dublin, he had served his professiondutifully and- devotedly for nearly sixty years.He entered Trinity College, Dublin, as a junior exhibi-

tioner, in 1887, and he graduated with a first-class degreein arts, as a senior moderator in ethics and logic, beforehe took his medical degrees in 1895. Throughout hislife, his literary interests were wide and scholarly, andhis books, of which the best known are A History ofthe Medical School of Trinity College, Dublin (1912), TheBook of the Rotunda Hospital (1914), and A History ofDr. Steevens’ Hospital : 1720-1920 (1924), gained forhim the unusual double distinction of the degree ofdoctor of letters of the University of Dublin and of theNational University of Ireland.Biographical details only reveal the skeleton of the

man, and in himself Kirkpatrick epitomised a tradition,exemplified an equanimity, and embodied a spirit offriendliness that enriched and illuminated his circle.His professional reputation began as an anaesthetist inthe first decade of this century, when new drugs and newmethods were encroaching on the domain of chloroformand ether. I recollect nm- first surgical teacher. SirCharles Ball, referring doubtfully to the innovations :" You might gain on the swings what you lost on theroundabouts, but the swings might carry you over theJordan." Having had experience of an ether roundaboutthat seemed to carry me over the Jordan and, reluctantly,back again, it was comforting to be told : " If Kirkhad given you the ansesthetic you would have enjoyedit." Years later, I attended Kirkpatrick’s lectures onanæsthetics, and discovered one reason at least for hissuccess: in some subtle way lie was able to identifyhimself with his patient. This quality extended to thegeneral walks of life. Like the Chinese sage, Kirkreceived and treated whoever approached him as anhonoured guest.A bachelor, secure in the fortress of his library and

his learning, he yet found time to keep old friendshipsin repair and to make new ones. He was equally at homein any of the three clubs to which he belonged, andwith any group of people that chance or design mightgather around him. Temperamentally and necessarilyaloof from the vexations of contemporary Irish politics,he found serenity in shades of Berkeley and Burke :"We are born only to be men. We shall do enoughif we form ourselves to be good ones."

W. F.

GEORGE WILLIAM KOSMAKM.D. Columbia

Dr. George W. Kosmak, who died on July 11 at theage of 80, was best known in this country as the editor,since its foundation over thirty years ago, of The AmericanJournal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Under him thisjournal has established itself as one of the most importantperiodicals in the specialty in the world and it is commonknowledge that through his wise and inspired directionit has exercised a powerful influence in American obstetricsand gynaecology. The latest issue, a Festschrift in cele-bration of his 80th birthday to which many of his col-leagues and friends in America and throughout the worldcontributed, appeared only a few days before his death.There is, however, some consolation in the knowledgethat this fine tribute was placed in his hands before hedied.

Dr. Kosmak was a pioneer in the movements for thereduction of maternal and infant mortality. As early as1917 he strongly advocated a public-health effort to thisend. Despite the general apathy which met his firstproposals he persisted, and in 1928 an important sub-

committee of the public-health relations committee ofthe New York Academy of Medicine was set up withKosmak as a member. In 1932 this subcommittee issuedits well-known report, Maternal Mortality in New YorkCity—A Study of All Puerperal Deaths, 1930—32. Towardsthe same end Dr. Kosmak gave his enthusiastic supportto the efforts which led to the foundation in 1930 of theAmerican Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and thusto the improvement in the standards of the teaching andpractice of the specialty. He had many friends andadmirers in this country, and in 1950 the Royal Collegeof Obstetricians and Gynaecologists conferred on him itshonorary fellowship.

JOHN ALEXANDER

M.A., M.D. PennsylvaniaDr. John Alexander, professor of thoracic surgery

in the University of Michigan, died at the University ’

Hospital at Ann Arbor on July 16. Doctors from allover the world had visited his unit to study his methodsand technique, and his many British friends will rememberhis courage and courtesy and the hospitality he and hiswife gave to overseas colleagues.He was born in 1891 and he graduated from the

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1916.During his service in France in the first world war hecontracted tuberculosis, and he suffered from this diseaseat intervals for the rest of his life. In 1920 he joined thefaculty of medicine of the University of Michigan as aninstructor, and in 1932 he was appointed to a full pro-fessorship. He was also head surgeon at the MichiganState Sanatorium at Howell.His publications included The Surgery of Pulmonary

Tuberculosis (1925) in which he reviewed the experienceof all the surgeons and physicians of the world who hadinterested themselves in thoracic surgery, extracting thepith of 500 books, papers, and personal communications.For this study he was awarded the 1925 quinquennialSamuel D. Gross prize of the Philadelphia Academy ofSurgery. His Collapse Therapy of Pulmonary Tuber-culosis told the story of this form of treatment up to1937 and weighed carefully the pros and cons of eachoperation and its modifications. In 1941 he was awardedthe Trudeau medal of the National Tuberculosis Associa-tion of America. He was also a president of the AmericanSociety of Thoracic Surgeons.

A. J. R., who spent " an exceptionally happy year "at Alexander’s unit, writes : " His indomitable spiritfought a long battle with tuberculosis for his patientsand for himself, and even in the end this disease did notconquer him. Characteristically, he wrote his book oncollapse therapy whilst lying on his back, and inventeda special book-holder to enable him to do it. His experi-ences with his own illness gave him great insight into theproblems of his patients. A few years ago I sent a follow-up questionnaire on his behalf to several hundred patientsof his, and I was astonished to read the many personalletters that came back asking affectionately after hisown health. ’John A,’ was a fearless critic, of greatintellectual honesty, who set the highest standard forhimself, and expected it from his staff. He had gainedmany honours in his own land, but perhaps it wouldplease him more that so many surgeons and physiciansthroughout the world are grateful for his teachings."

THOMAS WILFRID LETCHWORTHM.A., M.D. Camb., F.R.C.S.

Dr. T. W. Letchworth, consulting surgeon to theRoyal Eye Hospital, London, died on July 22.He was born at Brighton in 1874, and he was educated

privately and at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Hegraduated B.A. with honours in 1895 and he continuedhis medical training at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital. Hequalified in 1898 and his experience as house-surgeonto Vernon and,Jessop stimulated his interest in ophthal-mology. After a year as general house-officer at Win-chester he settled in general practice at Bournemouth in1902. Here he remained until 1908 when he decided tobreak with general practice and return to ophthalmology.With characteristic purpose he set out to get his F.R.C.S.,and after obtaining it with ease in 1909 he became house-surgeon at the Royal Westminster Ophthalmic Hospital,

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where he came under the influence of Brewerton, to whomhe always acknowledged his great debt. In 1911 - hesettled at Surbiton, where lie quickly formed the nucleusof one of the first suburban ophthalmic practices. Hebecame surgeon to the Royal Eye Hospital in 1915, andit was with this hospital that the greater part of his careerwas associated. He was also consultant to the HampsteadGeneral and SS. John and Elizabeth Hospitals, and anumber of L.C.C. hospitals and school clinics.

Letchworth retired from the Royal Eye on reaching theage-limit in 1934, but with great humility and helpfulnesshe remained to act for three more years as honoraryclinical assistant. He continued in consulting practiceuntil three years ago, when he still kept on a smallamount of work, " to keep his hand in." During thefirst world war he was local secretary of the Kingstonbranch of the B.M.A., and after his busy day at the RoyalEye he would come home and work far into the nightas secretary of the local medical war committee. In1947, at the age of 73, and after two cataract operations,he wrote an original thesis for his M.D. degree and tookhis degree on the same day that his son took his M.A.at Cambridge. He was probably the oldest M.D. to proceedto his degree in this way. He was particularly proud ofhis distinction and last month at the opening of theCourage Laboratory at the Royal Eye Hospital he worehis gown to the delight of his colleagues.

T. M. T. writes : " Letchworth -was a delightful charac-ter, of the type that is fast disappearing from the ranksof our profession. He had the most delicate sense ofhumour, and nothing delighted him so much as a slyleg-pull successfully carried out on some unwittingcolleague. All those with whom he came in contactcould not fail to be attracted by his kindliness, hisunselfishness, and his wide knowledge. He was a first-class French, Latin, and German scholar and couldquote pages of Moliere by heart. He was also a first-classmathematician and could put his knowledge in this sphereto practical use for he was among the first to producea variable prism for use in refraction work. His fame asa teacher of ophthalmic surgery will be kept green by thenumber of operations popularised among his house-surgeons and students and still often performed bythem. He was a first-class teacher, often using his readysense of humour to illustrate his points. His bright eyestwinkling behind his gold-rimmed spectacles, and thestraggly white beard, through which he constantly ranhis fingers, will be recalled by many, along with thelegendary stories of his amiable and harmless eccentrici-ties. He was a keen sportsman, but he was best knownas a swimmer. He also was no mean chess player, andhe represented Surrey many times. Nothing in his lifegave him more pleasure than when his eldest son rowedtwice in winning Cambridge crews in 1927 and 1928.Since his wife’s death he had been noticeably less alert,though he died as he always wished, in a light harness."

Letchworth married Miss Edith Worth, of Bournemouth,in 1903. She died two years ago, and they leave twosons and a daughter.

FRANCIS WILSON STUARTM.D., Ch.M. Aberd.

Mr. Wilson Stuart, surgeon to the Royal OrthopaedicHospital, Birmingham, died on July 29, at the age of 69.He was born at Gartly, Aberdeenshire, where his

father was the minister, and he was educated at GordonSchool, Huntly, and the University of Aberdeen where hegraduated M.B. in 1909. He held house-appointments inAberdeen, Dundee, Bury St. Edmunds, and Coventrybefore he moved to Birmingham in 1912 as resident

assistant surgeon at the Union Infirmary. In 1913 heproceeded to the degree of CH.m., and the following yearto the degree of M.D.

During his service with the R.A.M.C. in France duringthe 1914-18 war he was more and more drawn to thegrowing specialty of orthopaedics, and in 1917 he joinedthe team at the special surgical hospital at Holly-moor as an assistant to the late Naughton Dunn. UnderDunn’s influence he continued this work after the war,in Birmingham, at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, theCripples Union, and the Highbury Orthopaedic Hospital,and at the Shropshire Orthopaedic Hospital at Oswestry.

He also joined the staffs of the Paybody Hospital,Coventry, Manfield Orthopirdic Hospital, Northampton,and Warneford General Hospital, Leamington Spa.

J. F. B. writes : " Many cripples will mourn FrancisWilson Stuart. For nearly 40 years lie had devoted hisattention to the alleviation of their sufferings and dis-abilities. His colleagues knew him to be a loyal friendwho was fearless in his support of any just cause ; thereare many who have to thank him for his kindly advice inthe treatment of patients before and after operation. Theorthopaedic nurses and electrotherapists had in him achampion who spared no effort to improve their trainingand secure their rightful recognition."

Mr. Wilson Stuart leaves a widow, two daughters, anda son.

Mr. CORTLANDT MACMAHON, instructor for speech defectsand breathing exercises to St. Bartholomew’s Hospitalfrom 1911 to 1939, died at his home at Farnham, Surrey,on July 30 at the age of 79. During the 1914-18 warhe treated many patients whose speech had been affectedby gunshot wounds of the chest and abdomen or by gas-poisoning, and he reported in the medical journals thetreatments he devised for the after-effects of empyema, andpulmonary tuberculosis, and for visceroptosis. He waselected a governor of Barts after his retirement.

Births, Marriages, and Deaths

BIRTHS

ALMS.-Oil July 16. in Mauritius, to Beryl, wife of -Michael Alms,F.R.C.S.—a daughter (Charlotte Kimi).

AppointmentsBADHAM, J. X., M.R.c.s.J D.P.M. : asst. psychiatrist. Little Plumstead

mental-deficiency group of hospitals.BuxTON, K. L., M.A., M.B. Camb., F.R.C.s.. D.T.M. & H. : consultant

physician and medical superintendent, Mildmay Mission.London.

CAMERON, CHARLES, M.B. Glaag. : director in charge of East ofScotland Blood Transfusion Service and asst. pathologist,Dundee Royal Infirmary.

CooK, J. B.. M.D. Lond., M.R.c.p. : neurologist, Pinderfields GeneralHospital, Wakefield.

CuLLiNHfom). D. W. J., M.B. Lond., F.F.A. R.c.a., D.A. : part-timeconsultant anæsthetist, Mid-Worcestershire, Birmingham(Dudley Road), and Birmingham (sanatoria) groups.

FAWCETT, J. W’., M.D. Camb., M.R.C.P. : part-time consultantphysician, King George Hospital, Ilford.

FISH, F. J., M.B. Lond., M.R.C.P., D.P.M. : whole-time senior asst.psychiatrist, Carlton Hayes Hospital, Narborough, nearLeicester.

HODGES, H. (’HRisTtXH. B.sc., M.B. BVales, D.M.R.T. : part-timeconsultant radiotherapist in charge of the department, St.John’s Hospital for Diseases of the Skin, London.

JAMIESON, J. G., M.A., B.M. Oxfd, D.C.H. : senior school M.O., Leeds.KARLidn, A. J., M.D. Rome, M.R.o.p. : consultant, Reading chest

clinics.MCEWAN, J. M., M.B. Glasg., D.P.H.: m.o.H., urban districts of

Hexham, and rural districts of Bellingham, Haltwhistle, andHexham.

O’NKiLL. D. BV. J., m.rt.c.s. : asst. county M.o., Cheshire.PEREIRA, P. F. A., M.B. Madras, D.p.H. : asst. physician (geriatrics),

East Suffolk and Ipswich hospital group.WALKER, G. L.. M.B. Edin. : whole-time asst. chest physician

(S.H.M.O.), Dudley and Stourbridge group.

Appointed Factory Doctors:JONES, D. R. M., M.B. Lond. : Brynamman, Carmarthen.MC ADOO, H. MCC., M.B. Belf. : Manchester south-west district.MARTIN, HELEN F., M.B. Edin. : Bunessan, Argyll.RODGER, N. 0.. M.B. Glasg.: Arisaig-and-Moidart, Inverness.

Colonial Medical Service :

BERNEZ, E. G. A., M.B.: resident M.O., St. Lucia, Windward Isles.CHRISTIAN, F. F’., M.B. N.U.I.: M.O., Gold Coast. _

. FORREST, C. lt., M.n. Glasg.: M.o., Hong-Kong.FRANKS, A. (’., M.B. Camb. : senior M.o., Tanganyika.GENTLE, G. H. K., M.R.C.S. : M.O. (grade A), Caribbean medical

centre.GRAY, D. K., m.rs.: M.o., South Pacific health service, Fiji.HART, P. L. DK V., m.D. Lond., M.R.c.r. : M.o., Federation of

Malaya.LuoK, L. C., L.R.C.P.E., D.A. : anaesthetist, medical department,

British Guiana.KYLLEN, 0. H., M.B. Dubl.: M.o., Kenya.PKNROSE, A. G., M.B. : M.o., Seychelles.RoBERTSON, .E. L. S., M.B. Aberd., F.R.C.S.E.: M.o. (grade A),

Colonial Hospital, San Fernando.SWALES, K. A., M.B. St. And. : district M.o., St. Lucia, Windward

Isles.TWOHIG, J. N., M.B. N.U.I.: senior M.O., Uganda.