Duncan Wood was born on 2 September 1886 and did his medical course at the London Hospital qualifying with the Conjoint Diploma in 1909. After house appointments at the London Hospital he became a registrar at the Bristol General Hospital and later consultant surgeon and lecturer on operative surgery in the University of Bristol. He retired from the hospital at the age of 60 in 1946, and then moved to Plymouth where he became Director of the South West Joint Cancer Organization until 1952. Wood took a prominent part in professional life of Bristol and was Chairman of the Bristol Division of the BMA in 1929-1930. He had a very happy home life and his three sons followed him into the medical profession. He died suddenly on 24 July 1969 aged 82.