- Email: [email protected]
Sir Robert Young, C.B.E., M.D., F.R.C.P.
AND DISEASES OF T H E C H E S T
3
SIR ROBERT YOUNG, G.B.E., M.D., F.R.G.P. "Let us now praise famous m e n " BY G .
E. BEAUMONT
ON November 6, 1951 , Sir Robert Young celebrated his eightieth birthday, and this happy event was marked by a dinner given in his honour as a tribute from his colleagues at the Middlesex and Brompton Hospitals. " R.A.," as he is affectionately known to generations of Middlesex students, has climbed to the pinnacle of success by a combination of genius and hard work. His fame and reputation have become greater with each succeeding year; he has advanced from strength to strength, and now, on his eightieth birthday, he has attained the summit of his career. I first knew him in 191 o when he was junior assistant physician at Middlesex with charge of the children's department. Later I had the privilege of working first as his house physician and subsequently as his corresponding junior physician at the Middlesex and Brompton Hospitals from 192o to i936. When I was a student, R.A. at once impressed me by his meticulously careful clinical examinations, and by his logical and systematic method of diagnosis by a process o f elimination. Later, in the wards, his rounds were very popular. He would take a case, enquire carefully into the history, point out the physical signs and indicate the conclusions which could be drawn from them. He would then go over the disease systematically from " mtiology " to " treatment." One of the old students told me recently that R.A. has taught him " bedside manners," for he always treated every patient in his wards with kindness, courtesy and consideration. Certain of his sayings during the ward rounds linger in m y memory. When demonstrating the signs in mitral stenosis, he said, " You m a y have noticed a firm of carriage builders in Oxford Street called ' T h r u p p and Maberly.' The m u r m u r in mitral stenosis sounds like ' THRUPP,' " and he rolled the " r " and accentuated the " p " as he pronounced this onomatopoeic word. When R.A. first went to Brompton the ward windows were kept closed. T h e physicians eventually decided to keep the windows open, and I remember I~.A. telling me how he visited the hospital after the first November fog, in fear and trembling lest he should find his patients acutely ill as the result of the unwonted exposure. At Brompton R.A. demonstrated the importance of first examining the patient and recording the physical signs upon a chest chart before inspecting the X-ray films. R.A.'s post-graduate demonstrations at Brompton were the most popular of any in the course. In these he stressed the importance of a complete examination of each patient from head to foot. When R.A. retired from active staff of Middlesex his former house physicians presented him with a silver salver on which their names were engraved. The ceremony took place in the board r o o m before a large audience. The senior ex-house physician who made the presentation entertained us by
4
THE
BRITISH JOURNAL
OF TUBERCULOSIS
saying that when he finishedhis six months as H.P., R.A. enquired what he was going to do. He replied that he was going into general practice. R.A. then said, " I will give you a word of advice." The H.P. waited with eager anticipatiofl for the pearl of great price, for the words df wisdom which would launch him on a successful career. After due pause the sage opened his lips and said, " My boy, always have a good lunch." During the last war R.A. returned to the wards at Middlesex and delighted crowds of students by demonstrating, in what appeared an almost miraculous manner, how it is possible for the skilled clinician to find out exactly what is the condition of the lungs without first consulting the X-ray films. This art has now, alas ! almost completely disappeared. T h o s e were the days ! There is no space left for me to refer to R.A.'s faithful attendance at the Royal College of Physicians for so many Years , or to the numerous honours he received there." Since the introduction of the National Health Service R.A. has done work of the highest value. He was elected chairman of the Board of Governors of the Hospitals for Diseases of the Chest, and by his charm and tact has smoothed away all administrative difficulties and enabled Us to pull together as a team. Very briefly and imperfectly I have outlined some of the outstanding characteristics and abilities of this great physician. As his humble disciple I am honoured at being asked to pay my tribute, and our readers will j o i n with me in wishing him further years of happiness and content in the realisatiorL of work well done.
3
SIR ROBERT YOUNG, G.B.E., M.D., F.R.G.P. "Let us now praise famous m e n " BY G .
E. BEAUMONT
ON November 6, 1951 , Sir Robert Young celebrated his eightieth birthday, and this happy event was marked by a dinner given in his honour as a tribute from his colleagues at the Middlesex and Brompton Hospitals. " R.A.," as he is affectionately known to generations of Middlesex students, has climbed to the pinnacle of success by a combination of genius and hard work. His fame and reputation have become greater with each succeeding year; he has advanced from strength to strength, and now, on his eightieth birthday, he has attained the summit of his career. I first knew him in 191 o when he was junior assistant physician at Middlesex with charge of the children's department. Later I had the privilege of working first as his house physician and subsequently as his corresponding junior physician at the Middlesex and Brompton Hospitals from 192o to i936. When I was a student, R.A. at once impressed me by his meticulously careful clinical examinations, and by his logical and systematic method of diagnosis by a process o f elimination. Later, in the wards, his rounds were very popular. He would take a case, enquire carefully into the history, point out the physical signs and indicate the conclusions which could be drawn from them. He would then go over the disease systematically from " mtiology " to " treatment." One of the old students told me recently that R.A. has taught him " bedside manners," for he always treated every patient in his wards with kindness, courtesy and consideration. Certain of his sayings during the ward rounds linger in m y memory. When demonstrating the signs in mitral stenosis, he said, " You m a y have noticed a firm of carriage builders in Oxford Street called ' T h r u p p and Maberly.' The m u r m u r in mitral stenosis sounds like ' THRUPP,' " and he rolled the " r " and accentuated the " p " as he pronounced this onomatopoeic word. When R.A. first went to Brompton the ward windows were kept closed. T h e physicians eventually decided to keep the windows open, and I remember I~.A. telling me how he visited the hospital after the first November fog, in fear and trembling lest he should find his patients acutely ill as the result of the unwonted exposure. At Brompton R.A. demonstrated the importance of first examining the patient and recording the physical signs upon a chest chart before inspecting the X-ray films. R.A.'s post-graduate demonstrations at Brompton were the most popular of any in the course. In these he stressed the importance of a complete examination of each patient from head to foot. When R.A. retired from active staff of Middlesex his former house physicians presented him with a silver salver on which their names were engraved. The ceremony took place in the board r o o m before a large audience. The senior ex-house physician who made the presentation entertained us by
4
THE
BRITISH JOURNAL
OF TUBERCULOSIS
saying that when he finishedhis six months as H.P., R.A. enquired what he was going to do. He replied that he was going into general practice. R.A. then said, " I will give you a word of advice." The H.P. waited with eager anticipatiofl for the pearl of great price, for the words df wisdom which would launch him on a successful career. After due pause the sage opened his lips and said, " My boy, always have a good lunch." During the last war R.A. returned to the wards at Middlesex and delighted crowds of students by demonstrating, in what appeared an almost miraculous manner, how it is possible for the skilled clinician to find out exactly what is the condition of the lungs without first consulting the X-ray films. This art has now, alas ! almost completely disappeared. T h o s e were the days ! There is no space left for me to refer to R.A.'s faithful attendance at the Royal College of Physicians for so many Years , or to the numerous honours he received there." Since the introduction of the National Health Service R.A. has done work of the highest value. He was elected chairman of the Board of Governors of the Hospitals for Diseases of the Chest, and by his charm and tact has smoothed away all administrative difficulties and enabled Us to pull together as a team. Very briefly and imperfectly I have outlined some of the outstanding characteristics and abilities of this great physician. As his humble disciple I am honoured at being asked to pay my tribute, and our readers will j o i n with me in wishing him further years of happiness and content in the realisatiorL of work well done.