John Henry (toxicologist)
Encyclopedia
Professor John Anthony Henry (Born: 11 March 1939 at Greenwich, England
, died 8 May 2007) was a professor
specialising in toxicology
in the Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London
, at St Mary's Hospital
in Paddington
. He conducted research on the health effects of cannabis
, cocaine
and other recreational drugs.
, Irish Doctor John Aloysius Henry, was a general practitioner
, and was the team doctor for Millwall Football Club, which gave the young John a lifelong interest in English Football.
, run by the De Salle brothers
. He attended Medical School
at King's College London
, and joined Opus Dei
as a twenty-year old medical student, there as a "numerary
", a celibate member. Throughout the rest of his life, he attended mass
daily, and set aside two periods a day for prayer and meditation.
, Henry developed a throat infection which was inadequately treated, and caused kidney failure. His doctors thought it unlikely that he could survive long on dialysis
, and he retired from medicine for five years. During this period, he became director of Netherhall House
, a student hall in Hampstead
where he was the director from 1967 until 1970.
St. Josemaria Escriva let it be known that he was praying that Henry would find a matching kidney, and Henry recovered due to a successful transplant in 1976. Henry always believed that his kidney and his recovery came about through Escriva's intercession
.
at Guy's Hospital
, where he showed great compassion for his patients. In 1982, he was appointed consultant
to the National Poisons Unit at Guy's, where he was successful in saving many lives, especially those of children who had ingested poisonous household products. He carried out research in toxicology
to discover how those poisons worked and how to counteract them.
Henry was able to explain medical matters in layman terms, and was well versed in all aspects of drugs and poisons.
He took a special interest in the damage done to young people's lives by illegal drugs. He insisted that cannabis
was much more devastating than simple tobacco
, taking away the user's free-will, dignity, and destroying personalities and damaging society.
He also explained how ecstasy (MDMA) and amphetamines could cause death by hyperpyrexia and dehydration
. He was among the first to claim that the dangers of ecstasy were underestimated, and he briefly had the nickname "Mr E". He was called as an expert witness
for the inquest
into the death of Leah Betts
, who died after taking an ecstasy tablet at her 18th birthday party, and whose case became a cause célèbre
.
to have it removed. He appeared to be recovering well, but died of internal
hemorrhaging.
elections, he noted that the opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko
could have been poisoned using dioxins.
He was the clinical toxicologist who dealt with the poisoning case of Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko
(at University College Hospital
) in November 2006. Initially, he suggested poisoning from the metal thallium
, although it later turned out that the toxin was polonium-210.
's Equinox, and Sky One's documentary entitled Poisoned - which primarily concentrated on the case of Ukrainian President, Viktor Yushchenko
. On one occasion Professor Henry even appeared on the Ali G
show, having been told it was an educational programme, and talked about the dangers of hard drugs, brushing aside the jokes made at his expense. He last featured on an episode of Horizon
, 'A Perfect Murder, in which he talked about the poisonings of Litvinenko and Yushchenko. The episode aired at 21:00 on the 8 May 2007 - the same day that he died - and the programme makers acknowledged his passing at the end of the credits.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, died 8 May 2007) was a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
specialising in toxicology
Toxicology
Toxicology is a branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms...
in the Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
, at St Mary's Hospital
St Mary's Hospital (London)
St Mary's Hospital is a hospital located in Paddington, London, England that was founded in 1845. Since the UK's first academic health science centre was created in 2008, it is operated by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which also operates Charing Cross Hospital, Hammersmith Hospital,...
in Paddington
Paddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
. He conducted research on the health effects of cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
, cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and other recreational drugs.
Family and childhood
Professor Henry was born in Greenwich on 11 March 1939, and was the eldest of four surviving children. His fatherFather
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
, Irish Doctor John Aloysius Henry, was a general practitioner
General practitioner
A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...
, and was the team doctor for Millwall Football Club, which gave the young John a lifelong interest in English Football.
Education
Henry was educated first at St Joseph's Academy, BlackheathSt Joseph's Academy, Blackheath
St Josephs Academy was an all boys Roman Catholic academy located in Blackheath, London, United Kingdom.Saint Joseph’s Academy began life in 1860 as an extension of the work of the Brothers in Saint Joseph’s College, Clapham. Bishop Grant asked them to start a new school in Saint George’s parish,...
, run by the De Salle brothers
Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools is a Roman Catholic religious teaching congregation, founded in France by Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle and now based in Rome...
. He attended Medical School
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, and joined Opus Dei
Opus Dei
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei , is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the...
as a twenty-year old medical student, there as a "numerary
Numerary
Numerary is a civil designation for persons who are incorporated in a fixed or permanent way to a society or group: regular member of the working staff, permanent staff, or member, distinguished from a supernumerary....
", a celibate member. Throughout the rest of his life, he attended mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
daily, and set aside two periods a day for prayer and meditation.
Illness, involvement with St. Josemaria, and recovery
In 1969, while vacationing in ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Henry developed a throat infection which was inadequately treated, and caused kidney failure. His doctors thought it unlikely that he could survive long on dialysis
Dialysis
In medicine, dialysis is a process for removing waste and excess water from the blood, and is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with renal failure...
, and he retired from medicine for five years. During this period, he became director of Netherhall House
Netherhall House
Netherhall House is a catered intercollegiate halls of residence for men, situated in Hampstead, north London, England. It is less than a five minute walk from Finchley Road tube station...
, a student hall in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
where he was the director from 1967 until 1970.
St. Josemaria Escriva let it be known that he was praying that Henry would find a matching kidney, and Henry recovered due to a successful transplant in 1976. Henry always believed that his kidney and his recovery came about through Escriva's intercession
Intercession of saints
Intercession of the saints is a Christian doctrine held by Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and some Anglican churches, that deceased saints and the Blessed Virgin Mary intercede for believers, and that it is possible to ask deceased saints for their prayers...
.
Return to medicine and media appearances
Henry then returned to his career in medicine as a registrarSpecialist registrar
A Specialist Registrar or SpR is a doctor in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland who is receiving advanced training in a specialist field of medicine in order eventually to become a consultant...
at Guy's Hospital
Guy's Hospital
Guy's Hospital is a large NHS hospital in the borough of Southwark in south east London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It is a large teaching hospital and is home to the King's College London School of Medicine...
, where he showed great compassion for his patients. In 1982, he was appointed consultant
Consultant (medicine)
In the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, and parts of the Commonwealth, consultant is the title of a senior doctor who has completed all of his or her specialist training and been placed on the specialist register in their chosen specialty...
to the National Poisons Unit at Guy's, where he was successful in saving many lives, especially those of children who had ingested poisonous household products. He carried out research in toxicology
Toxicology
Toxicology is a branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms...
to discover how those poisons worked and how to counteract them.
Henry was able to explain medical matters in layman terms, and was well versed in all aspects of drugs and poisons.
He took a special interest in the damage done to young people's lives by illegal drugs. He insisted that cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
was much more devastating than simple tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, taking away the user's free-will, dignity, and destroying personalities and damaging society.
He also explained how ecstasy (MDMA) and amphetamines could cause death by hyperpyrexia and dehydration
Dehydration
In physiology and medicine, dehydration is defined as the excessive loss of body fluid. It is literally the removal of water from an object; however, in physiological terms, it entails a deficiency of fluid within an organism...
. He was among the first to claim that the dangers of ecstasy were underestimated, and he briefly had the nickname "Mr E". He was called as an expert witness
Expert witness
An expert witness, professional witness or judicial expert is a witness, who by virtue of education, training, skill, or experience, is believed to have expertise and specialised knowledge in a particular subject beyond that of the average person, sufficient that others may officially and legally...
for the inquest
Inquest
Inquests in England and Wales are held into sudden and unexplained deaths and also into the circumstances of discovery of a certain class of valuable artefacts known as "treasure trove"...
into the death of Leah Betts
Leah Betts
Leah Sarah Betts was a schoolgirl from Latchingdon in Essex, England, United Kingdom. She is notable for the extensive media coverage and moral panic that followed her death several days after her 18th birthday. On 11 November, she took an Ecstasy tablet, and then drank approximately 7 litres of...
, who died after taking an ecstasy tablet at her 18th birthday party, and whose case became a cause célèbre
Cause célèbre
A is an issue or incident arousing widespread controversy, outside campaigning and heated public debate. The term is particularly used in connection with celebrated legal cases. It is a French phrase in common English use...
.
Death
In April 2007, Henry's transplanted kidney failed, and he went to hospitalHospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
to have it removed. He appeared to be recovering well, but died of internal
Internal bleeding
Internal bleeding is bleeding occurring inside the body. It can be a serious medical emergency depending on where it occurs , and can potentially cause death and cardiac arrest if proper medical treatment is not received quickly....
hemorrhaging.
Toxicology
During the 2004 UkrainianUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
elections, he noted that the opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko is a former President of Ukraine. He took office on January 23, 2005, following a period of popular unrest known as the Orange Revolution...
could have been poisoned using dioxins.
He was the clinical toxicologist who dealt with the poisoning case of Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko
Alexander Litvinenko
Alexander Valterovich Litvinenko was an officer who served in the Soviet KGB and its Russian successor, the Federal Security Service ....
(at University College Hospital
University College Hospital
University College Hospital is a teaching hospital located in London, United Kingdom. It is part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is closely associated with University College London ....
) in November 2006. Initially, he suggested poisoning from the metal thallium
Thallium
Thallium is a chemical element with the symbol Tl and atomic number 81. This soft gray poor metal resembles tin but discolors when exposed to air. The two chemists William Crookes and Claude-Auguste Lamy discovered thallium independently in 1861 by the newly developed method of flame spectroscopy...
, although it later turned out that the toxin was polonium-210.
Television
Professor Henry appeared numerous times on television, including Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's Equinox, and Sky One's documentary entitled Poisoned - which primarily concentrated on the case of Ukrainian President, Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko is a former President of Ukraine. He took office on January 23, 2005, following a period of popular unrest known as the Orange Revolution...
. On one occasion Professor Henry even appeared on the Ali G
Ali G
Ali G is a satirical fictional character invented and performed by English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. Originally appearing on Channel 4's Eleven O'Clock show, Ali G is the title character of Channel 4's Da Ali G Show, original episodes of which aired in 2000 and on HBO in 2003–2004, and is the...
show, having been told it was an educational programme, and talked about the dangers of hard drugs, brushing aside the jokes made at his expense. He last featured on an episode of Horizon
Horizon
The horizon is the apparent line that separates earth from sky, the line that divides all visible directions into two categories: those that intersect the Earth's surface, and those that do not. At many locations, the true horizon is obscured by trees, buildings, mountains, etc., and the resulting...
, 'A Perfect Murder, in which he talked about the poisonings of Litvinenko and Yushchenko. The episode aired at 21:00 on the 8 May 2007 - the same day that he died - and the programme makers acknowledged his passing at the end of the credits.