Elizabeth Anne Alexander (née Gillberry)
BMJ 2003; 327 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.327.7410.346-a (Published 07 August 2003) Cite this as: BMJ 2003;327:346Data supplement
- Elizabeth Anne Alexander (née Gillberry)
Family planning medical officer Coventry and Warwickshire, medical officer University of Warwick, and Benefits Agency medical examiner (b Liverpool 1927; q Liverpool University 1955), died from a series of small strokes on 4 May 2003An overtight plaster following surgery resulted in a below-knee amputation aged 19. She qualified as a radiographer, but then pursued medicine. After house jobs in Liverpool, she moved to a Bristol pathology rotation. After marrying David, a radiology registrar, they moved to London, where she combined a research post at the Institute of Dermatology with evening surgeries in general practice. Pregnancy in 1962 was dogged by hypertension. In 1963 they moved to Coventry for David’s consultant post. Childcare was her priority. Family planning clinics (then for married women only) allowed the possibility of some sessional work. She worked with others to found the Coventry Brook Clinic. She also trained in psychosexual medicine. In 1970 the University of Warwick, alarmed by its high student pregnancy rate, invited her to start family planning sessions on campus. She thrived on this work, which broadened into wider general practice. She excelled in counselling students. Her hypertension became severe and she resigned from the university. She continued in family planning work until 1986. In 1991 she sought specialist assessment in the face of her short term memory loss. Parathyroidectomy followed. Subsequently an incompetent aortic valve was replaced. From 1994 she experienced several obvious stepwise declines with vascular dementia. In 2000 a caecal carcinoma was resected. She then went into a nursing home, gradually declining until a series of small strokes rendered the sum total of her pathology more than her body could sustain. She is survived by David and Tim, a general practitioner in Plymouth. [Tim Alexander, David Alexander]
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- Introductory AddressProv Med Surg J October 03, 1840, s1-1 (1) 1-4; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s1-1.1.1
- Report of the Meeting of the Eastern Branch of the Provincial Association at Bury St. Edmond'sProv Med Surg J October 03, 1840, s1-1 (1) 10-13; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s1-1.1.10
- Mr. Warburton's Bill for the Regulation of the Medical ProfessionProv Med Surg J October 03, 1840, s1-1 (1) 13-15; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s1-1.1.13
- An Atlas of Plates, illustrative of the Principles and Practice of Obstetric Medicine and Surgery, with descriptive LetterpressProv Med Surg J October 03, 1840, s1-1 (1) 4; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s1-1.1.4
- A Practical Treatise on the Diseases peculiar to Women, illustrated by Cases, &cProv Med Surg J October 03, 1840, s1-1 (1) 4-5; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s1-1.1.4-a