Elizabeth Timgwilian Davies-Humphreys

Former general practitioner Carmarthen Carmarthenshire 1903; Westminster 1930),9 June 1997. The second daughter and fourth child of a farming family she studied medicine at a time when few women from any social background did. Both her parents died when she was a student, but she was able to continue her studies with help from relatives and her husband to be. After a short time in general practice in the east end of London, when Mahatma Ghandi was one of her patients, she returned with her husband to Carmarthen, where she was in practice and later an assistant medical officer of health. She was active in the local medical society and was a keen Soroptimist. Predeceased by her husband, she leaves a son (me, a consultant gynaecologist) and two grandchildren.

Christopher Adrian Holborow

Consultant ear, nose, and throat surgeon Westminster Hospital 1964-85 (b 1926; q Cambridge/Middlesex 1951; MD, FRCS; OBE),died from a ruptured aortic aneurysm on 4 February 1998. He won a half blue for sailing, and held junior posts at Great Ormond Street and Addenbrooke's Hospitals. As a consultant he regularly treated colleagues and their families, also spending much of his s pare time abroad working with the deaf. He was medical adviser and later chairman of the Commonwealth Society for the Deaf, being awarded the OBE for this work in 1989. He was deeply involved in other charities, the City of London Field Regiment, and was master of the Tallow Chandlers Company. His many other outside interests were mainly in the countryside, where he fished and shot. Predeceased by his first wife, Wanda, he leaves a second wife, Caroline; and one son, two daughters, and two grandsons from his first marriage.

Frederick James Gordon(“Jimmy”) Jefferiss

Consultant venereologist St Mary's Hospital, London (1910 to a general practitioner father; St Mary's 1935, the fourthgeneration to be associated with the medical school and hospital), 6 April 1998. From his schooldays he had a series of cars, and was involved in racing at Brooklands and hill climbs. Having been an assistant medical officer in the venereal disease department at St Marya's, and having joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1938, he was called up in September 1939 and posted to the special treatment centre at RAF Halton. From 1946 he worked at St Mary's, establishing his national reputation, and during this time the clinic there became the largest in Europe. He had a charming clinical manner, worked well with other members of staff, and at a time when many working in venereology were judgmental was remarkable for his tolerant approach. He served on many committees, national and international, being president of the Medical Society for the Study of Venereal Diseases and serving as deputy dean of the medical school. On retirement Jimmy established the Jefferiss Charitable Research Trust, which became a major force in stimulating academic research (establishing two academic departments, one at St Mary's, the other at Liverpool), and remaining as its secretary until his death. Jimmy had many interests: he had a lifelong love of cars and motor racing, was a fine sailor, shot for St Mary's, and was an avid collector of watercolours. In 1976 the Victoria and Albert Museum held an exhibition of the paintings of Dr Thomas Monro and his associates. Monro, the first physician superintendent of the Bethlem Hospital, had been a patron of Turner and Girtin, and Jimmy (who had devoted much time to tracing and, on occasions, purchasing paintings from this group) wrote the commentary for the exhibition catalogue. He leaves a wife, Phyllis, and one son.

Philip Vincent Kielty

Former general practitioner Whetstone, north London (b Navan, Co Meath 1922; qUCD 1948), died of carcinomatosis on 15 March 1998. He remained singlehanded throughout his career, and believed fervently in the principles of the pro life movement, taking every opportunity to discuss his views openly. For many years he did work for the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council and it was in recognition of this and his outspoken views that he was awarded a Papal Knighthood. In his younger years he played competitive snooker and tennis, and in his 40s took up golf, which he played almost to scratch. He retired to Spain in 1983. He leaves a wife, Rose, a daughter, and a son (a general practitioner).

Harvey McTaggart

Former consultant pathologist Hartlepool General Hospital (b Edinburgh 1925; St Andrews 1954;FRCPath), died of cholangiocarcinoma on 18 February 1998. During the war he served in the Royal Navy, seeing action in the Mediterranean in the aircraft carrier. A dedicated pathologist, Harvey was among the first to introduce exfoliative cytology of the gastrointestinal tract and also pioneered cervical smear testing in Hartlepool before it was government policy. He had a keen interest in forensic pathology, which he continued after his retirement, and dealt with some high profile murder investigations and trials. He was popular with both his consultant colleagues, having been chairman of the medical staff committee, and his staff. He leaves a wife, Dorothy; three daughters; and two grandsons.

Susan Lynn Maxwell

General practitioner Hythe, Kent (b Portsmouth 1957; q Charing Cross 1981), died after bone marrow transplantation for Hodgkin's disease on 19 December 1997. After qualifying she joined the Medway vocational training scheme, where she developed a strong interest in psychotherapy. Her illness was first diagnosed in 1992, and as it progressed it prevented her enjoying walking, gardening, and playing the clarinet, but she never lost her ability to live life joyfully. In this she was sustained by her profound Christian faith, her humour, and her unfailing determination. She leaves a husband, Clyde, also a general practitioner, and two daughters.

Francis John Milward

Former consultant general surgeon Chesterfield Royal Hospital (1903; Cambridge/St Thomas's 1927; M Chir, FRCS), 15 December 1997. He could easily have secured a consultant's post in London, but chose to apply for a post in Chesterfield as he valued a more localised community and the enhanced quality of life of the countryside. As the only specialist general surgeon he covered orthopaedics and gynaecology as well as general surgery, and forged close links with his general practitioner colleagues. Throughout his life he strongly supported the BMA, being president of the Chesterfield branch in 1966. He was a countryman at heart, enjoying fishing and hunting, and walking in the Barlow Valley and Peak District until well into his 90s. He revelled in the long years allotted to him, particularly enjoying a visit to France by Le Shuttle just for lunch last year. He leaves a wife, Rosemary; a son (a consultant plastic surgeon) and two daughters; and six grandchildren.

Dushyanthan (“Dushy”) Surendranath Nadarajah

Consultant radiologist William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, Kent 1980-98 (Sri Lanka 1943; Colombo 1970; FRCR), died of a cardiac event on 22 April 1998. At school he was an outstanding sportsman, particularly at swimming, water polo, and rugby. After training in radiology at Glasgow in 1976-80 he was appointed a consultant at Ashford. An invigorating member of the department, his wicked sense of humour enlivened the dullest of meetings. He leaves a wife, Saras, and two daughters.

Jeremiah Gerard Dermot O'Sullivan

Former consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Cork (Doneraile, Co Cork, 1925; UCC 1947; MD, FRCOG), died suddenly of a probable subarachnoid haemorrhage on his 73rd birthday, 2 January 1998. He initially trained in general practice, but found obstetrics and gynaecology more to his liking and in Portsmouth performed upwards of around 1000 hysterectomies a year before emigrating to Calgary. In 1976 he moved back to Cork, working there until retirement. Although an ardent and skilled golfer all his life, only in retirement could he devote enough time to it and he won an unprecedented seven titles in the match play tournaments in Lahinch, Co Clare, in 1989-93. He leaves a wife, Joan; five children (one doctor); and six grandchildren.

Douglas Wyness Thomson (“Doug”) Paul

General practitioner Wick (Aberdeen 1944; Aberdeen 1968; FRCGP), died of diabetic complications on 21 December 1997. At Aberdeen Grammar he had the distinction of being simultaneously head prefect, captain of rugby, best all round athlete, and drum major of the pipe band. For most of his 26 years in practice he was postgraduate tutor for Caithness and Sutherland and he was an effective member and chairman of the local medical committee GP subcommittee as well as other area and national committees. Latterly he was the acknowledged driving force in setting up the GP commissioning structure in the Highland area, while he also espoused the cause of audit, continuing with visits to practices all over the north of Scotland even after ill health had dictated his premature retirement. For a decade up to 1988 he ran the diabetic clinic in Wick and was police surgeon for all his time in practice. A formidable squash player and keen golfer, he enjoyed the Scottish hills and supporting the national rugby side in equal measure. By a quirk of the local dialect he was known as Dr Pal, an apt epitaph. He leaves a wife, Sandra; two sons and a daughter; and a grandson.

Brian Stephen Quinn

General practitioner Westcliff-on-Sea 1946-76 (London 1915, to a general practitioner father; UCD 1939; FRCGP), died of cardiac failure on 21 October 1997. He volunteered for service in the war, spending much of it in the Middle East, Italy (at the Anzio beachhead), and Germany (commanding a field ambulance in the final push across the River Elbe). Forced into early retirement by back trouble, he subsequently had a major stroke and myocardial infarction and underwent a quadruple coronary bypass in 1983. He left a wife, Mary, who died on 2 February 1998; a son (a neurologist) and daughter; and two granddaughters.

Irwin Bruce Speight

Former consultant ophthalmologist Grimsby General Hospital (Dunedin 1911; Otago 1935; FRCS, DO), died of a cerebrovascular accident on 1 March 1998. He came to England in 1936 via Cape Horn as a ship's doctor to obtain the FRCS. After joining the Territorial Army he was sent to Palestine with the Lincolnshire Yeomanry and then transferred to the Sudan Defence Corps and the Royal Army Medical Corps. After the war he became a surgical specialist in the Sudan Medical Service, returning to England to train in ophthalmology. He became a consultant at the age of 53, and after retirement continued to do refractions. Bruce was reserved and strong willed, enjoying golf, wine making, and travel. He leaves a wife, Patsy, and a daughter (a dermatologist).

Felix Ernest Weale

Consultant general and vascular surgeon Dartford and Gravesend Hospitals 1969-90 (Prague 1925; Westminster 1948; MS, FRCS), died of the complications of motor neurone disease on 6 March 1998. He came to Britain in the 1930s, and won multiple prizes as an undergraduate, continuing his academic interests during his surgical training and national service in the Royal Air Force. After being a senior lecturer on the surgical professorial unit at St Bartholomew's Hospital he continued to exercise his lively, critical, and analytical mind, being a prolific contributor to the surgical literature. Before retirement he helped to pioneer and publicise endoscopic upper transthoracic sympathectomy, and as an innovative improviser and do it yourself exponent even attempted to improve on ski design for a sport he much loved. In retirement he became an accomplished painter in various media, gaining great pleasure from frequenting his native Prague. Predeceased by a son, he leaves a wife, Audrey; a son (a surgeon); and two grandchildren.

A memorial service for Dr John Noble, who died on 13 January 1998 (obituary, 21 March, p 941), will be held at St Thomas's Church, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, on Friday 12 June 1998 at 2 00 pm.

A memorial service for Mr John Parker, who died on 23 March 1998, will be held at Southwark Cathedral, London Bridge, London SE1 9DE, on Tuesday 30 June 1998 at 3 30 pm. Donations may be sent to St Christopher's Hospice, 51-9 Lawrie Park Road, Sydenham, London SE26 6DZ.