Alberto Laurence was a distinguished Argentinian coloproctologist. He was born in Buenos Aires on 17 July 1915, the son of Hector Ernesto Laurence, a dentist, and Dora Catalina Laurence née Small, who died when he was a child. The family had ties to the UK: his maternal great grandfather, Harry Well

Geoffrey Mogg was a consultant general surgeon at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury. He was born in Cardiff and studied medicine at Cambridge. He went to St Bartholomew's Hospital for his clinical training. After junior posts in surgery he emigrated to Brisbane, Australia, in 1980 to become a uni

Daher Cutait was nominated the 'Father of Latin-American Colo-Proctology' by the Latin-American Colo-Proctology Association. He was born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1913, and was educated at the University of São Paulo. After graduating in 1939, he won a scholarship provided by the Institute of Interna

John Goligher was an outstanding surgeon who made an immense contribution to the clinical science of coloproctology. He won a national and international reputation and was always in demand for second opinions and as a lecturer. His writings, especially his textbook, were marked by their thoroughness