In Part I of this interview Dame Margaret Turner-Warwick, first woman president of the Royal College of Physicians, 1989-92, talks initially about parents and ancestry, including Baden-Powell roots, then her decision to read medicine and the studies at Oxford and University College Hospital that followed. The Oxford years, 1942-45, include reference to a number of distinguished dons involved in pre-clinical teaching, such as W Le Gros Clark FRS and Alice Carleton, also to early meetings with Richard Turner-Warwick. Reflecting on clinical studies at University College Hospital, discussion turns quickly to research experience and work with Eric Pochin in the Medical Research Council Unit there, then to the impact of a number of distinguished clinicians such as Himsworth, Rosenheim, Stokes and Hawkesley. After qualifying and marrying in 1950 a number of house appointments follow and a decision, while working at the Brompton Hospital, to specialise in thoracic medicine. There is reference, too, to Bradford Hill's trials of streptomycin in the treatment of tuberculosis, then under way. Following a first senior appointment at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, the opportunity to work with Professor Guy Scadding at the Brompton Hospital arises in 1957, an appointment of major significance. Reflecting on this, discussion focuses on figures and trends in thoracic medicine of that time, after which there follows a review of the steps that led to research interests in pulmonary immunological reactions, the autoimmunity of the lung, through investigations of such progressive fibrosing conditions as fibrosing alveolitis. Dame Margaret then reflects on the developments at the Brompton during her time as professor of respiratory medicine in the 1970s and subsequently as Dean in the 1980s, of research opportunities taken and the rather prolonged planning of the hospital's redevelopment. She also appraises the unique status of London's specialist hospitals, such as the Brompton, Queen Square, the National Heart. In the course of this discussion there is reference to Sir Phillip Rose and the founding of the Brompton Hospital in 1842.
Royal College of Physicians, the Oxford pre-clinical course 1942-45, University College Hospital - Medical Research Unit, Brompton Hospital, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, London's specialist hospitals, the founding of the Brompton Hospital, trials of streptomycin, thoracic medicine, pulmonary immunological reactions, autoimmunity of the lung, pulmonary fibrosing conditions, Guy Scadding, W. Le Gros Clark, Alice Carleton, Max Rosenheim, John Stokes, John Hawkesley, Richard Turner-Warwick.
Administration, Allergy and immunology, Pulmonary medicine (respiratory medicine),
vid-214, MSVA_105
Permanent link to this resource: https://doi.org/10.24384/000009
Turner-Warwick, MargaretBooth, Christopher
Learning Resources
Original artefact: 1994 RADAR resource: 2017
Oxford, UK
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