Rapid responses are electronic comments to the editor. They enable our users
to debate issues raised in articles published on bmj.com. A rapid response
is first posted online. If you need the URL (web address) of an individual
response, simply click on the response headline and copy the URL from the
browser window. A proportion of responses will, after editing, be published
online and in the print journal as letters, which are indexed in PubMed.
Rapid responses are not indexed in PubMed and they are not journal articles.
The BMJ reserves the right to remove responses which are being
wilfully misrepresented as published articles or when it is brought to our
attention that a response spreads misinformation.
From March 2022, the word limit for rapid responses will be 600 words not
including references and author details. We will no longer post responses
that exceed this limit.
The word limit for letters selected from posted responses remains 300 words.
Although not possessing the hurdling skills attributed to the late Dr. Roy Simpson, pride of place among British medical Olympians probably belongs to Dr. Noel Chavasse, an Oxford graduate who not only represented Britain at the 1908 London games but was one of only three service personnel ever awarded a bar to the Victoria Cross. Both the latter came during the Great War and both were for tending the wounded in no-mans-land under extremely dangerous conditions - his courage at Passchendaele in August 1917 costing him his life.
Chavasse hoped to pursue a career in orthopaedic surgery and at the outbreak of war was house-surgeon to Prof. Robert Jones at Liverpool.The BMA recognised Chavasse's exceptional bravery with the presentation of a gold medal to the family. It was accepted by Noel's father, the Bishop of Liverpool, at the Association's annual general meeting at Cambridge in 1920.
Re: How times have changed
Although not possessing the hurdling skills attributed to the late Dr. Roy Simpson, pride of place among British medical Olympians probably belongs to Dr. Noel Chavasse, an Oxford graduate who not only represented Britain at the 1908 London games but was one of only three service personnel ever awarded a bar to the Victoria Cross. Both the latter came during the Great War and both were for tending the wounded in no-mans-land under extremely dangerous conditions - his courage at Passchendaele in August 1917 costing him his life.
Chavasse hoped to pursue a career in orthopaedic surgery and at the outbreak of war was house-surgeon to Prof. Robert Jones at Liverpool.The BMA recognised Chavasse's exceptional bravery with the presentation of a gold medal to the family. It was accepted by Noel's father, the Bishop of Liverpool, at the Association's annual general meeting at Cambridge in 1920.
Competing interests: No competing interests