Donald Forsyth Lawson graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1933 and his early appointments included that of resident medical officer at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in 1934. He passed the diploma in gynaecology and obstetrics at Melbourne in 1936 and following this was medical superintenden

Born in 1901, son of R J Burt White, cotton goods buyer, of Crouch End, he was educated at Epsom College and St Bartholomew's Hospital, where he won the Foster prize in anatomy and the Harvey prize in physiology. He was house surgeon to W McAdam Eccles and Girling Ball, and served as intern midwifer