Lewis, Emily Catherine (1882 - 1965)
by
 
Royal College of Surgeons of England

Asset Name
E005891 - Lewis, Emily Catherine (1882 - 1965)

Title
Lewis, Emily Catherine (1882 - 1965)

Author
Royal College of Surgeons of England

Identifier
RCS: E005891

Publisher
London : Royal College of Surgeons of England

Publication Date
2014-08-26

Subject
Medical Obituaries

Description
Obituary for Lewis, Emily Catherine (1882 - 1965), Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Language
English

Source
Plarr's Lives of the Fellows

Full Name
Lewis, Emily Catherine

Date of Birth
1882

Date of Death
25 October 1965

Place of Death
London

Occupation
General surgeon

Titles/Qualifications
MRCS 1917
 
FRCS 1919
 
MB BS London 1918
 
MS 1920
 
LRCP 1917

Details
Born in 1882, the daughter of James Lewis, Lieutenant, Royal Navy and Emily Catherine Wooldridge, in her late 20's she gave up a successful teaching career in music to take up the study of medicine at the London School of Medicine for Women, qualifying with the Conjoint Diploma in 1917 and graduating with honours at London University in 1918 at the age of thirty-six. In 1919 she was admitted FRCS, being the second woman to achieve this distinction, and in 1920 proceeded to the degree of MS. She was soon appointed to the consulting staff of the Royal Free, the South London and the Marie Curie Hospitals, retiring in 1948 with the advent of the NHS. For many years during her time at the Royal Free she demonstrated in the anatomy department and she always stressed the importance of this subject for surgeons. An accurate, conscientious and capable clinician she was held in high regard by her students, both for her diagnostic ability and her technical skill. She attributed the latter to her training as a pianist and her long experience in embroidery. A general surgeon, she took a special interest in urology, particularly in its application to women, creating a special department, as up to her time the field had been neglected. She also wrote a successful textbook on this subject which went to two editions. Innately shy and not one to suffer fools gladly, she appeared unapproachable in her early years but among her own circle was deeply loved and respected. After her retirement she was able to indulge her versatile taste in the arts, in music and in books, taking up the study of gemmology. She died in hospital in London on 25 October 1965 aged 83, having lived in Ely, Cambridgeshire after retiring.

Sources
*Lancet*, 1965, 2, 959
 
*Brit med J* 1965, 2, 1187
 
*Ann Roy Coll Surg Engl* 1966, 38, 65

Rights
Copyright (c) The Royal College of Surgeons of England

Collection
Plarr's Lives of the Fellows

Format
Obituary

Format
Asset

Asset Path
Root/Lives of the Fellows/E005000-E005999/E005800-E005899

URL for File
378074

Media Type
Unknown