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Dr. Percy Kidd an appreciation
DR. PERCY
KIDD
95
DR. PERCY K I D D AN A P P R E C I A T I O N DR. P~RcY KIDD died on January 2I in his 9~st year. He was the son of Dr. Joseph Kidd, and was educated at Uppingham and Oxford. In I873 he graduated with first-class honours in Natural Science and entered as a medical student at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. In I878 he became M.R.C.S. and proceeded M.A. and B.M. at Oxford. He was elected in the same year to the Radcliffe Travelling Fellowship, and went to study at Strasburg and Vienna. At St. Bartholomew's Hospital he served as house physician and later as casualty physician, assistant medical tutor and demonstrator of physiology. In I879 he became a Member of the Royal College of Physidans and in I885 was elected to the Fellowship. In I88i he was elected to the active staff of the Br0mpton Hospital, and served until I9o6 , when he joined the consulting staff. In I882 he proceeded D.M. at Oxford. In i89o he was appointed assistant physician to the London Hospital, becoming full physician in I899; he continued his service until i92o , when he joined the consulting staff. Kidd's early training had given him wide general culture and a knowledge of contemporary medical science which proved to be of great value when he became lecturer in general pathology and in medicine at the London Hospital Medical College. During his service at the Brompton Hospital he began to devote special attention to diseases of the heart and lungs. It was a period of active development in the knowledge of the pathology and treatment of tuberculosis. Koch's discovery of the tubercle bacillus in I88~ and the subsequent introduction of tuberculin, the value of open-air treatment and of graduated rest and exercise, the clinical application of radiography were amongst the important innovations which affected profoundly a hospital specially devoted to the recognition and treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. The reputation gained by his colleagues on the staff from I88I to I9o6 gives some idea of the spirit of progress which inspired them. Theodore Williams, Frederick Roberts, T. H. Green, Mitchell Bruce, William Ewart, Kingston Fowler-Acland, Hector Mackenzie, Sidney Martin and Rickman Godlee amongst others are names inscribed in the history of medicine. Doubtless inspired by the professional staff, the Committee of Management showed great activity during the period.
96
THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF TUBERCULOSIS
The south wing of the Hospital, providing more beds and rooms for special departments, was opened in 1882. A large nurses' home came into use in 19oo and the Frimley Sanatorium was ready to receive patients in 19o4. The improved facilities offered an opportunity for the intensive clinical study of pulmonary tuberculosis of which Kidd took advantage. He was not a prolific author; in his early years he published several papers on pathological subjects. In his clinical work he came to be recognised as one of the leaders in the specialism he had chosen. He contributed ardcles to Quain's Dictionary of Medicine, to Fowler's Dictionary of Practical Medicine, and to Allbutt's Medicine. At the Royal College of Physicians, where he held office successively as Councillor, Censor and Senior Censor, he gave the Lumleian lecture on pneumonia in 1912 and the Harveian oration on the doctrine of consumption in Harvey's time in 1918. At the London Hospital Medical College he was lecturer on general pathology and later on medicine, but his greater love was for intimate discussion at the bedside of the cases under his care. His quiet manner and gentle disposition did not favour the dramatic style which so often brings popularity to a lecturer, but the breadth of his views and the extent of his knowledge brought recognition of his soundness as a teacher. Both at Brompton and the London he played an important though unobtrusive part in the rapid development which occurred during his period of service. His former pupils and colleagues hold in grateful memory his kindliness, his generosity, and his wisdom.
C.W.
CORRESPONDENCE A D V I C E O N THE M A N A G E M E N T SPECIES
OF A NEW"
To the Editor, TI-I~ BRITISH JOURNAL OF TUBEROULOSIS. " I smell a r a t " (Anon.). SIR, Not only do I smell a rat, but I strongly suspect Fifth Column activity. The letter on this subject signed so naively, " A Medical Practitioner," arouses the deepest suspicion that you have opened your correspondence columns to a subtle attack by a member of the new species against which the letter would seem to put us on our guard. This is typical of the cunning methods of invasion of this young and virile species, against which passive
KIDD
95
DR. PERCY K I D D AN A P P R E C I A T I O N DR. P~RcY KIDD died on January 2I in his 9~st year. He was the son of Dr. Joseph Kidd, and was educated at Uppingham and Oxford. In I873 he graduated with first-class honours in Natural Science and entered as a medical student at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. In I878 he became M.R.C.S. and proceeded M.A. and B.M. at Oxford. He was elected in the same year to the Radcliffe Travelling Fellowship, and went to study at Strasburg and Vienna. At St. Bartholomew's Hospital he served as house physician and later as casualty physician, assistant medical tutor and demonstrator of physiology. In I879 he became a Member of the Royal College of Physidans and in I885 was elected to the Fellowship. In I88i he was elected to the active staff of the Br0mpton Hospital, and served until I9o6 , when he joined the consulting staff. In I882 he proceeded D.M. at Oxford. In i89o he was appointed assistant physician to the London Hospital, becoming full physician in I899; he continued his service until i92o , when he joined the consulting staff. Kidd's early training had given him wide general culture and a knowledge of contemporary medical science which proved to be of great value when he became lecturer in general pathology and in medicine at the London Hospital Medical College. During his service at the Brompton Hospital he began to devote special attention to diseases of the heart and lungs. It was a period of active development in the knowledge of the pathology and treatment of tuberculosis. Koch's discovery of the tubercle bacillus in I88~ and the subsequent introduction of tuberculin, the value of open-air treatment and of graduated rest and exercise, the clinical application of radiography were amongst the important innovations which affected profoundly a hospital specially devoted to the recognition and treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. The reputation gained by his colleagues on the staff from I88I to I9o6 gives some idea of the spirit of progress which inspired them. Theodore Williams, Frederick Roberts, T. H. Green, Mitchell Bruce, William Ewart, Kingston Fowler-Acland, Hector Mackenzie, Sidney Martin and Rickman Godlee amongst others are names inscribed in the history of medicine. Doubtless inspired by the professional staff, the Committee of Management showed great activity during the period.
96
THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF TUBERCULOSIS
The south wing of the Hospital, providing more beds and rooms for special departments, was opened in 1882. A large nurses' home came into use in 19oo and the Frimley Sanatorium was ready to receive patients in 19o4. The improved facilities offered an opportunity for the intensive clinical study of pulmonary tuberculosis of which Kidd took advantage. He was not a prolific author; in his early years he published several papers on pathological subjects. In his clinical work he came to be recognised as one of the leaders in the specialism he had chosen. He contributed ardcles to Quain's Dictionary of Medicine, to Fowler's Dictionary of Practical Medicine, and to Allbutt's Medicine. At the Royal College of Physicians, where he held office successively as Councillor, Censor and Senior Censor, he gave the Lumleian lecture on pneumonia in 1912 and the Harveian oration on the doctrine of consumption in Harvey's time in 1918. At the London Hospital Medical College he was lecturer on general pathology and later on medicine, but his greater love was for intimate discussion at the bedside of the cases under his care. His quiet manner and gentle disposition did not favour the dramatic style which so often brings popularity to a lecturer, but the breadth of his views and the extent of his knowledge brought recognition of his soundness as a teacher. Both at Brompton and the London he played an important though unobtrusive part in the rapid development which occurred during his period of service. His former pupils and colleagues hold in grateful memory his kindliness, his generosity, and his wisdom.
C.W.
CORRESPONDENCE A D V I C E O N THE M A N A G E M E N T SPECIES
OF A NEW"
To the Editor, TI-I~ BRITISH JOURNAL OF TUBEROULOSIS. " I smell a r a t " (Anon.). SIR, Not only do I smell a rat, but I strongly suspect Fifth Column activity. The letter on this subject signed so naively, " A Medical Practitioner," arouses the deepest suspicion that you have opened your correspondence columns to a subtle attack by a member of the new species against which the letter would seem to put us on our guard. This is typical of the cunning methods of invasion of this young and virile species, against which passive