Kamal Al-Samarraie

Former professor of obstetrics and gynaecology Baghdad, 1948-76 (b Samarra, Iraq, 1914; q Baghdad 1938; FRCOG), d 10 January 1999. He made his specialty popular and attracted enthusiastic staff. He had a special interest in hydatidiform mole and was an expert in surgical reconstruction of the vagina in patients with vaginal atresia. He was obstetrician and gynaecologist to the Iraqi and Jordanian royal families. He lectured in many overseas countries and after retirement he served in the Iraqi scientific society. He also became interested in the history of Arab medicine and wrote extensively on the subject. His efforts were recognised by the organisation of Islamic medicine in 1989 when he was awarded its highest prize. Predeceased by his first wife, he leaves a second wife; one son (a consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology); and two daughters.

[A S M Jawad]

Behjat Mukhtar Ansari

Professor of paediatrics University of Glamorgan and consultant paediatrician East Glamorgan Hospital (b Delhi 1937; q Calcutta 1963), d 11 January 1999. After appointments in France, America, and Glasgow Behjat came to south Wales. He was a general paediatrician but always maintained an interest in oncology, haematology, and infections. He did much to develop the postgraduate centre at East Glamorgan Hospital when he was medical director. Behjat was clinical teacher to the University of Wales College of Medicine where he showed an encyclopaedic knowledge of his subject. He played an important role in developing the Welsh Paediatric Society and was its president in 1994-6. He singlehandedly launched the Welsh Paediatric Journal in 1989. Outside medicine he wrote poetry in his mother tongue, Urdu; was fluent in French; and had an insight into 16th century Indian and Persian poetry. At the University of Glamorgan he developed an MSc in paediatrics, which he hoped would enable GPs to understand more about the …