Hugh Shuter Platt

Hugh Shuter Platt entered University College Hospital in 1953. He was an exceptionally able student, gaining a distinction in surgery in his final exam and a first in his anatomy BSc. In 1960, he became a registrar and then lecturer in histopathology at University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria, where he demonstrated—against then current beliefs – that Nigerian premature babies did develop hyaline membrane disease. This work gained him his MD. He considered his time at Ibadan as the most formative of his life and gave his two daughters Nigerian names.

On returning to England in 1965, Hugh was lured into chemical pathology by Professor Flynn at UCH, who recognised his tremendous organising talents. He was appointed consultant chemical pathologist at UCH in 1971, and he and Flynn designed the first pathology computer system.

In …