Sir Donald Acheson was Chief Medical Officer for England from 1983 to 1991, a period that included the rise of HIV infection and the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis. He was born in Belfast on 17 September 1926, the son of Malcolm King Acheson, a doctor specialising in public health, an

Born at Dunfermline in 1857, he was educated at the University of Edinburgh, where he held a Grierson bursary, and afterwards at the London Hospital. As lecturer on anatomy at Surgeons Hall, Edinburgh he soon made a name for himself. It is said that he had an extraordinary power of imparting knowled

The fifth son of Robert Collum, MD, of the HEIC, who had been Staff Surgeon to Sir Charles Napier, and who afterwards practised as a physician in London. He retired first to Harmondsworth in Middlesex and then to Surbiton. A T Collum was educated at Epsom College, and entered Charing Cross Hospital

Educated at Guy's Hospital, and practised for many years at 93 Denmark Hill, SE, where he was Surgeon to the Camberwell Provident Dispensary. He was a barrister of the Middle Temple, and towards the close of his life he moved to 27 Warwick Square, SW, and was appointed Physician to the National Hosp

Born at Nottingham in December, 1816, and received his preliminary education in Doncaster. He was then apprenticed to Mr Carrick, of Kensington, and proceeded, after serving his time, to St George's Hospital, where he became Assistant and afterwards House Surgeon under Brodie and Keate. From St Geor

Born on May 21st, 1848, in London. He was educated at University College and studied at Guy's Hospital. After holding a hospital appointment in Manchester and being threatened with tuberculosis, he acted for two years as Surgeon on board the Peninsular and Oriental Company's ships. On his return he

Born at Edinburgh on 18 June 1883, the seventh child and fourth son of John Wilson, miller, and his wife, *née* Cameron. He was educated at Watson's School and the University of Edinburgh, where he graduated in 1905, proceeding MD with commendation in 1908 and in the same year taking the special cer

Henry Nightingale was born in Kingston on Thames on 21 April 1880. His father, James, was a surveyor and his mother before marriage was Agnes Thrupp. He went to school at Kingston Grammar School from where he obtained a scholarship to King's College, London. Nightingale next gained a scholarship

The son of William Taylor Tyson, for many years a medical practitioner in Folkestone. He was educated at Queen's College, Taunton, and at Guy's Hospital, where he was afterwards House Physician and Resident Obstetrician. In 1876 he set up in practice in Folkestone, though not in partnership with his

Born on 22 August 1923 at Milan in Italy, the second son of Asher Alhadef, a tobacco merchant, and his wife Jeannette Franses. He was educated at Bromsgrove School, Birmingham, and at Worcester College (1942-47) and the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, qualifying in 1947. He held resident posts at Notti

John Alexander James was born on 21 May 1887 at Berry, New South Wales, and was educated at the Brisbane Grammar School, where he distinguished himself by becoming Captain of the School, and a member of the Rifle Shooting Team which was the first to win the Empire Competition. After graduating in me

Duncan Gillard Churcher was born at Dunoon, Scotland, on 4 October 1894, one of six children of Dr Thomas Churcher, a medical missionary, and Margaret, née Robertson, an Edinburgh trained nurse. He was educated at the City of London School and obtained a scholarship to St Thomas's Hospital which he