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David Fitzpatrick's histopathology slide collection
Pathology (1995), 27, pp. 212-213
BRIEF COMMUNICATION DAVID FITZPATRICK'S HISTOPATHOLOGY SLIDE COLLECTION JOHN HAYMAN
Department of Pathology, Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, Vie
David Fitzpatrick was born in 1899 at Heyfield, Victoria; the sixth son in a family of one girl and 7 boys. He graduated MB BS from Melbourne University in 1922,
obtained his Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1930 and began practice in Sale in 1932 as the only qualified surgeon in Gippsland. He was elected a Fellow
Fig. I Tray of 6 slides, one of 10 in the collection. The diagnosis of the section labelled "spheroidal cell carcinoma" has been queried; the appearances are those of a malignant giant cell tumor of bone.
Fig. 2 Photomicrograh of tissue section labelled "Toxic fatty degeneration of liver", showing fatty changes, predominantly in peri-portal zones, together with a lymphocytic infiltrate (original magnification x 400).
Fig. 3 Photomicrograph of the slide labelled "Intracanalicular fibroadenoma of the breast". Although one might dispute the interpretation of the growth pattern of the lesion its benign nature is clearly recognizable.
HISTOPATHOLOGY SLIDE COLLECTION
of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1935. He is credited with giving the first blood transfusion in Gippsland in 1936, bleeding the donor and determining the compatibility himself. He was police surgeon and coroner's pathologist to the district, and performed autopsy examinations on both hospital and police cases. He retired from medical practice in 1973 but retained his interest in medicine and remained active in the community until his death in 1985. 1 His collection of pathology specimens was passed to the local pathologist. In this collection is a box of 10 trays of histology sections which he had cut on his own Cambridge rocker, stained; mounted in Canada balsam and labelled with his own diagnosis and pre-printed labels (Fig. 1). The dates on some of the slides are between 1933 and 1938. These sections are not immaculate, but are quite readable 60 yrs after they were cut (Figs. 2, 3). In many respects they are better than slides less than 10 yrs old in teaching hospital archives; "bubbling" does not seem to have been a problem with Canada balsam.
213
The collection includes both autopsy and biopsy material, blood films, even an easily diagnosable urethral smear. Some diagnoses are not quite accurate. A slide labelled "spheroidal cell carcinoma" has the appearance of a malignant giant cell tumor of bone which perhaps should have been diagnosed as the entity had recently been publicized. 2 The collection is a reminder that pathology was practized in many places before there were specialist pathologists. The versatility and all-round skill of early practitioners must be admired. Address for correspondence: J.H., Department of Pathology, Box Hill Hospital, Box Hill, Vie 3128.
References
1. Hayman J. David Imrie Fitzpatrick (obituary). Med J Aust 1986; 145: 354.
2. King ESJ. Malignant giant cell tumour of bone. Br. J Surg 1932; 20: 269-78.
BRIEF COMMUNICATION DAVID FITZPATRICK'S HISTOPATHOLOGY SLIDE COLLECTION JOHN HAYMAN
Department of Pathology, Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, Vie
David Fitzpatrick was born in 1899 at Heyfield, Victoria; the sixth son in a family of one girl and 7 boys. He graduated MB BS from Melbourne University in 1922,
obtained his Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1930 and began practice in Sale in 1932 as the only qualified surgeon in Gippsland. He was elected a Fellow
Fig. I Tray of 6 slides, one of 10 in the collection. The diagnosis of the section labelled "spheroidal cell carcinoma" has been queried; the appearances are those of a malignant giant cell tumor of bone.
Fig. 2 Photomicrograh of tissue section labelled "Toxic fatty degeneration of liver", showing fatty changes, predominantly in peri-portal zones, together with a lymphocytic infiltrate (original magnification x 400).
Fig. 3 Photomicrograph of the slide labelled "Intracanalicular fibroadenoma of the breast". Although one might dispute the interpretation of the growth pattern of the lesion its benign nature is clearly recognizable.
HISTOPATHOLOGY SLIDE COLLECTION
of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1935. He is credited with giving the first blood transfusion in Gippsland in 1936, bleeding the donor and determining the compatibility himself. He was police surgeon and coroner's pathologist to the district, and performed autopsy examinations on both hospital and police cases. He retired from medical practice in 1973 but retained his interest in medicine and remained active in the community until his death in 1985. 1 His collection of pathology specimens was passed to the local pathologist. In this collection is a box of 10 trays of histology sections which he had cut on his own Cambridge rocker, stained; mounted in Canada balsam and labelled with his own diagnosis and pre-printed labels (Fig. 1). The dates on some of the slides are between 1933 and 1938. These sections are not immaculate, but are quite readable 60 yrs after they were cut (Figs. 2, 3). In many respects they are better than slides less than 10 yrs old in teaching hospital archives; "bubbling" does not seem to have been a problem with Canada balsam.
213
The collection includes both autopsy and biopsy material, blood films, even an easily diagnosable urethral smear. Some diagnoses are not quite accurate. A slide labelled "spheroidal cell carcinoma" has the appearance of a malignant giant cell tumor of bone which perhaps should have been diagnosed as the entity had recently been publicized. 2 The collection is a reminder that pathology was practized in many places before there were specialist pathologists. The versatility and all-round skill of early practitioners must be admired. Address for correspondence: J.H., Department of Pathology, Box Hill Hospital, Box Hill, Vie 3128.
References
1. Hayman J. David Imrie Fitzpatrick (obituary). Med J Aust 1986; 145: 354.
2. King ESJ. Malignant giant cell tumour of bone. Br. J Surg 1932; 20: 269-78.