Born at Dundee in 1898, son of the Rev R W Dodds, a methodist minister. He was educated at the Methodist College, Belfast, and at Queen's University. He interrupted his training to join the RNVR during the first world war, and served in destroyers. He qualified in 1920 and, after being house physician at Swansea General Hospital, went back to Belfast as demonstrator of anatomy. Dodds decided to specialize as an obstetrician, and obtained an appointment as obstetric registrar at Charing Cross Hospital. He took the Fellowship in 1927, though not a Member of the College, and proceeded to the Belfast MCh the same year. He subsequently joined the staff of the City of London Maternity Hospital, the Samaritan Hospital, the French Hospital, and the Bearsted Memorial Hospital. His real opportunity came with the reorganization of the London County Council's maternity services in 1934, in which he played a leading part; he continued to serve the Council as obstetric consultant at St James's Hospital, and was also obstetric consultant to the Ilford and Edmonton borough councils. During the second world war he served as surgeon to troopships 1943-44, with the rank of major RAMC, but had to resign his commission from ill-health. Dodds died in the Middlesex Hospital on 26 January 1949, aged 50, survived by his widow. Dodds was endowed with good looks, and charm and modesty of manner. He was an expert in his own specialty, and an excellent lecturer and administrator. He was also of great courage, and activated by humanitarian motives. Happening to be a universal blood donor, he was always ready to offer his blood for transfusion in emergencies.