Sir James Paterson Ross, Bt, KCVO, MS, FRCS, Hon FRCR
1
Obituary SIR JAMES PATERSON ROSS, Bt, KCVO, Sir James Paterson Ross, Emeritus Professor of Surgery in the University of London, consulting surgeon to St Bartholomew's Hospital and past President of the Royal College of Surgeons Of England, died suddenly on 5 July 1980 at the age of 85. Throughout his long and distinguished career he was particu- larly appreciative of the contribution made to surgery by both branches of radiology, and he in turn encouraged their development both in practice and organisation. In 1958 he was elected to the Honorary Fellowship of the Faculty of Radiologists, an honour he greatly valued and he continued to show his interest in the College during his later years. 3 . James Paterson Ross was born in London on 26 May 1895, and from Christ's College, Finchley, he became a stu- dent at St Bartholomew's Hospital at the age of 17. From his earliest days he was marked for distinction, winning prizes and scholarships, but his student career was interrupted by the First World War when in 1915 he became a sergeant- dispenser RAMC at the 1st London General Hospital. Return- ing to continue his clinical work, he qualified MRCS, LRCP in 1917 and after a brief period as house surgeon entered the Royal Navy. In 1920, after returning to St Bartholomew's, he passed the London MB, BS examination with honours, gaining distinction in surgery and forensic medicine and the Univer- MS, FRCS, Hen FRCR sity Gold Medal. The Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of England followed in 1922 and the MS in 1928. In 1922 Ross went to Boston to train as a neurosurgeon under Dr Harvey Cushing, and he always recalled with grati- tude the intellectual stimulation and friendship he experi- enced there. On returning to Bart's he joined the surgical professorial unit under Professor George Gask, with whom he developed a special interest in the surgery of the sympa- thetic nervous system; he was also greatly influenced by Sir Thomas Dunhill at Bart's, and by Lord Moynihan whom he assisted when the famous Leeds surgeon operated in Londom In 1935 Ross, at the age of 40, succeeded Gask in the pro- fessorial chair - a post for which he was admirably fitted, for in addition to his personal qualities he was a first-class teacher and an exceptionally competent clinician and surgeon. From then onwards he was to influence his own medical school and hospital in a way that was unparalleled in this century. Indeed his influence has been compared with that of Sir James Paget in the last century: for both were superlative clinicians, and had that integrity, friendliness and sympathetic understanding which endeared them to all. During the Second World War his unit was moved out to St Albans where he was of great service in the organisation of neurosurgical casualty services in London and East Anglia. Elected to the Council of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1943, Ross became Vice-President in 1952-54, Dean of the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences in 1954-57, President of the College from 1957-1960, and Director of the British Postgraduate Medical Federation from 1960-1966. In 1949 Professor Paterson Ross was called in to see King George VI, and with Sir James Learmonth carried out a lum- bar sympathectomy; and he was almost immediately dubbed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. On the Queen's accession in 1952 he was appointed surgeon to Her Majesty, and created a baronet in 1960. The influence of Sir James Paterson Ross on radiology, and particularly on radiotherapy, was threefold: in clinical resea~cli, in supporting developments at Bart's, and in a wider field in promoting the subject as a mature clinical specialty. Two of the three Hunterian Lectures he delivered at the Royal College of Surgeons before the war bore on this subject. The first in 1931 was an experimental and clinical study of the effects of radium on cerebral tumours, and the third in 1939, on the effects of radium on carcinoma of the breast. These careful studies were at that time at the frontiers of radiotherapy, and Ross generously encouraged others to develop their interest in these topics. At Barfs itself his influ- ence permeated the wards and clinics, the Cancer Research Committee and the Board of Governors itself. Sir James collaborated fully in' regular joint clinics in which both his patients and his colleagues of all ages, benefited from his clinical acumen, integrity and humanity. He supported every advance in radiotherapy in the hospital. During Sir James' Presidency of the Royal College of Surgeons the then Faculty of Radiologists was housed at Lincoln's Inn Fields and shared facilities which that College generously placed at its.disposal. The Faculty was made to feel welcome and Sir James who safeguarded its interests delighted at its subsequent develop- ment to full collegiate status. Sir Jaznes Paterson Ross and Lady Ross (a former Bart's sister) showed great interest and kindness to young doctors and this was reciprocated during his long but active retirement. His solid figure diffusing confidence and trust, tinged with a touch of Scottish humour, will be greatly missed by his friends throughout the world. Arthur Jones
-
Upload
arthur-jones -
Category
Documents
-
view
217 -
download
2
Transcript of Sir James Paterson Ross, Bt, KCVO, MS, FRCS, Hon FRCR
Obituary SIR JAMES PATERSON ROSS, Bt, KCVO,
Sir James Paterson Ross, Emeritus Professor of Surgery in the University of London, consulting surgeon to St Bartholomew's Hospital and past President of the Royal College of Surgeons Of England, died suddenly on 5 July 1980 at the age of 85. Throughout his long and distinguished career he was particu- larly appreciative of the contribution made to surgery by both branches of radiology, and he in turn encouraged their development both in practice and organisation. In 1958 he was elected to the Honorary Fellowship of the Faculty of Radiologists, an honour he greatly valued and he continued to show his interest in the College during his later years.
3 .
James Paterson Ross was born in London on 26 May 1895, and from Christ's College, Finchley, he became a stu- dent at St Bartholomew's Hospital at the age of 17. From his earliest days he was marked for distinction, winning prizes and scholarships, but his student career was interrupted by the First World War when in 1915 he became a sergeant- dispenser RAMC at the 1 st London General Hospital. Return- ing to continue his clinical work, he qualified MRCS, LRCP in 1917 and after a brief period as house surgeon entered the Royal Navy. In 1920, after returning to St Bartholomew's, he passed the London MB, BS examination with honours, gaining distinction in surgery and forensic medicine and the Univer-
MS, FRCS, Hen F R C R
sity Gold Medal. The Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of England followed in 1922 and the MS in 1928.
In 1922 Ross went to Boston to train as a neurosurgeon under Dr Harvey Cushing, and he always recalled with grati- tude the intellectual stimulation and friendship he experi- enced there. On returning to Bart's he joined the surgical professorial unit under Professor George Gask, with whom he developed a special interest in the surgery of the sympa- thetic nervous system; he was also greatly influenced by Sir Thomas Dunhill at Bart's, and by Lord Moynihan whom he assisted when the famous Leeds surgeon operated in Londom In 1935 Ross, at the age of 40, succeeded Gask in the pro- fessorial chair - a post for which he was admirably fitted, for in addition to his personal qualities he was a first-class teacher and an exceptionally competent clinician and surgeon. From then onwards he was to influence his own medical school and hospital in a way that was unparalleled in this century. Indeed his influence has been compared with that of Sir James Paget in the last century: for both were superlative clinicians, and had that integrity, friendliness and sympathetic understanding which endeared them to all.
During the Second World War his unit was moved out to St Albans where he was of great service in the organisation of neurosurgical casualty services in London and East Anglia. Elected to the Council of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1943, Ross became Vice-President in 1952-54, Dean of the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences in 1954-57, President of the College from 1957-1960, and Director of the British Postgraduate Medical Federation from 1960-1966.
In 1949 Professor Paterson Ross was called in to see King George VI, and with Sir James Learmonth carried out a lum- bar sympathectomy; and he was almost immediately dubbed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. On the Queen's accession in 1952 he was appointed surgeon to Her Majesty, and created a baronet in 1960.
The influence of Sir James Paterson Ross on radiology, and particularly on radiotherapy, was threefold: in clinical resea~cli, in supporting developments at Bart's, and in a wider field in promoting the subject as a mature clinical specialty. Two of the three Hunterian Lectures he delivered at the Royal College of Surgeons before the war bore on this subject. The first in 1931 was an experimental and clinical study of the effects of radium on cerebral tumours, and the third in 1939, on the effects of radium on carcinoma of the breast. These careful studies were at that time at the frontiers of radiotherapy, and Ross generously encouraged others to develop their interest in these topics. At Barfs itself his influ- ence permeated the wards and clinics, the Cancer Research Committee and the Board of Governors itself. Sir James collaborated fully in' regular joint clinics in which both his patients and his colleagues of all ages, benefited from his clinical acumen, integrity and humanity. He supported every advance in radiotherapy in the hospital. During Sir James' Presidency of the Royal College of Surgeons the then Faculty of Radiologists was housed at Lincoln's Inn Fields and shared facilities which that College generously placed at its.disposal. The Faculty was made to feel welcome and Sir James who safeguarded its interests delighted at its subsequent develop- ment to full collegiate status.
Sir Jaznes Paterson Ross and Lady Ross (a former Bart's sister) showed great interest and kindness to young doctors and this was reciprocated during his long but active retirement. His solid figure diffusing confidence and trust, tinged with a touch of Scottish humour, will be greatly missed by his friends throughout the world.
Arthur Jones
