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Professor John David Williams
International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents 26 (2005) 181–182
Obituary
Professor John David Williams
It is with deep sorrow that I report the death on 11 July 2005 of my predecessor as Editor-in-Chief of the journal, and my dear friend, David Williams. David was born in 1931, and when he left school he worked initially as a laboratory technician while studying at night school for the qualifications required for university entrance. He studied medicine at the University of Liverpool, qualifying in 1956. In 1965, David Williams was appointed consultant microbiologist to Dudley Road Hospital, Birmingham, where he set up an antibiotic research laboratory, the first of its kind in the country and which is still active today. David recognised the importance of collaboration with clinicians, and the results of
0924-8579/$ – see front matter doi:10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2005.07.008
joint research projects were published in prestigious medical journals around the world. These studies often incorporated the microbiology, pharmacology and clinical studies of novel antimicrobial agents at a time when such combined studies were uncommon. Such was his success in Birmingham that he was appointed to the Goldsmiths’ Chair of Medical Microbiology at the London Hospital Medical College in 1974, where he remained for 22 years. His achievements there were immense, but of particular importance was his training of young microbiologists as well as infectious disease physicians. He had a particular interest in the rational use of antibiotics and wrote widely on this topic. He initiated a Masters course in Clinical Microbiology at the London Hospital Medical College, which trained several hundred microbiologists. David was the driving force behind the foundation of several societies in the UK, including the British Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (of which he was the first Secretary and subsequently President, and the first Editor of its journal, the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy), the Hospital Infection Society and the Association of Medical Microbiologists. Each of these societies is now well established and recognised around the world. He had a major influence in international affairs. David had been Secretary General, and subsequently President, of the International Society of Chemotherapy, which he lead with great distinction, furthering its role in promoting antimicrobial and anti-cancer chemotherapy. He held Honorary Professorships in several universities, including the Universities of Beijing and Bialystock. He was joint Editor of the monograph Control of Hospital Infection, an essential handbook in microbiology laboratories around the world. In 1975, David was Secretary of the International Congress of Chemotherapy that was held in London after only 2 years notice and that proved to be a great success. Only David could have succeeded in organising such a large meeting at very short notice. He was the first President of the Federation of European Societies for Chemotherapy and for Infection, and President of the first European Chemotherapy Congress in 1996. David was an influential Editor of the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. Shortly before he died, he learnt
182
Obituary / International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents 26 (2005) 181–182
that in 2004, during his Editorship, the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents’ Impact Factor (an index of the success of the journal) had for the first time exceeded 2, a most creditable achievement. The journal had been taken over by the International Society of Chemotherapy in 1999. David’s legacy is the many microbiologists (medical and non-medical) and infectious disease physicians he trained and who are now working in hospitals and universities
around the UK and in many countries in Europe and Asia. David Williams was an unassuming man with a warm personality, immense energy, clear vision and high intelligence. We shall miss him. A memorial service will be held in London later in the year. Alasdair Geddes Editor-in Chief
Obituary
Professor John David Williams
It is with deep sorrow that I report the death on 11 July 2005 of my predecessor as Editor-in-Chief of the journal, and my dear friend, David Williams. David was born in 1931, and when he left school he worked initially as a laboratory technician while studying at night school for the qualifications required for university entrance. He studied medicine at the University of Liverpool, qualifying in 1956. In 1965, David Williams was appointed consultant microbiologist to Dudley Road Hospital, Birmingham, where he set up an antibiotic research laboratory, the first of its kind in the country and which is still active today. David recognised the importance of collaboration with clinicians, and the results of
0924-8579/$ – see front matter doi:10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2005.07.008
joint research projects were published in prestigious medical journals around the world. These studies often incorporated the microbiology, pharmacology and clinical studies of novel antimicrobial agents at a time when such combined studies were uncommon. Such was his success in Birmingham that he was appointed to the Goldsmiths’ Chair of Medical Microbiology at the London Hospital Medical College in 1974, where he remained for 22 years. His achievements there were immense, but of particular importance was his training of young microbiologists as well as infectious disease physicians. He had a particular interest in the rational use of antibiotics and wrote widely on this topic. He initiated a Masters course in Clinical Microbiology at the London Hospital Medical College, which trained several hundred microbiologists. David was the driving force behind the foundation of several societies in the UK, including the British Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (of which he was the first Secretary and subsequently President, and the first Editor of its journal, the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy), the Hospital Infection Society and the Association of Medical Microbiologists. Each of these societies is now well established and recognised around the world. He had a major influence in international affairs. David had been Secretary General, and subsequently President, of the International Society of Chemotherapy, which he lead with great distinction, furthering its role in promoting antimicrobial and anti-cancer chemotherapy. He held Honorary Professorships in several universities, including the Universities of Beijing and Bialystock. He was joint Editor of the monograph Control of Hospital Infection, an essential handbook in microbiology laboratories around the world. In 1975, David was Secretary of the International Congress of Chemotherapy that was held in London after only 2 years notice and that proved to be a great success. Only David could have succeeded in organising such a large meeting at very short notice. He was the first President of the Federation of European Societies for Chemotherapy and for Infection, and President of the first European Chemotherapy Congress in 1996. David was an influential Editor of the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. Shortly before he died, he learnt
182
Obituary / International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents 26 (2005) 181–182
that in 2004, during his Editorship, the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents’ Impact Factor (an index of the success of the journal) had for the first time exceeded 2, a most creditable achievement. The journal had been taken over by the International Society of Chemotherapy in 1999. David’s legacy is the many microbiologists (medical and non-medical) and infectious disease physicians he trained and who are now working in hospitals and universities
around the UK and in many countries in Europe and Asia. David Williams was an unassuming man with a warm personality, immense energy, clear vision and high intelligence. We shall miss him. A memorial service will be held in London later in the year. Alasdair Geddes Editor-in Chief