John Martin Munro Kerr
Encyclopedia
John Martin Munro Kerr was Reguis Professor of Midwifery at the University of Glasgow
from 1927 to 1934. A scholar and surgeon of international acclaim he won both the Katherine Bishop Harman Prize in 1934 for his book Maternal Mortality and Morbidity (1933) and was the first recipient of the Blair Bell Medal for obstetrics and gynaecology.
in 1868 the son of George Munro Kerr (15 November 1836 – 23 June 1907), a Scottish ship-owner from Greenock
, and Jessie Elizabeth Martin. His grandfather, John Kerr, had been a West Indian Merchant and ship-owner who married an American-born wife, Mary Clark. J.M. Munro Kerr graduated from the University of Glasgow MB CM in 1890. As a senior undergraduate he was present in 1889 when Murdoch Cameron
performed the first series of follow-up Caesarean Section
operations at the Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital
, carried out after Cameron’s famous initial success in 1888.
.
Appointed Visiting Surgeon at the Maternity Hospital in 1900, he published to great success Operative Midwifery in 1908. The text was originally written as the thesis for his MD at Glasgow. Munro Kerr was elected to the chair of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Glasgow Anderson College in 1910, and in a rapidly successful career he took the Muirhead chair of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Glasgow in 1911.
A Foundation Fellow Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in 1929 Munro Kerr was also its first Vice President until 1932. Succeeding Murdoch Cameron
on his retirement as Professor of Midwifery at Glasgow, Munro Kerr took the chair in the New Year of 1927 holding the position until his retirement in 1934. Munro Kerr won the Katherine Bishop Harman Prize in 1934 for his widely successful book Maternal Mortality and Morbidity (1933).
he acted as Medical Superintendent of the Kent and Canterbury Hospital and it was at Canterbury
that he died in 1960.
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
from 1927 to 1934. A scholar and surgeon of international acclaim he won both the Katherine Bishop Harman Prize in 1934 for his book Maternal Mortality and Morbidity (1933) and was the first recipient of the Blair Bell Medal for obstetrics and gynaecology.
Early life
J M Munro Kerr was born at Kelivingrove Street in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
in 1868 the son of George Munro Kerr (15 November 1836 – 23 June 1907), a Scottish ship-owner from Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, and Jessie Elizabeth Martin. His grandfather, John Kerr, had been a West Indian Merchant and ship-owner who married an American-born wife, Mary Clark. J.M. Munro Kerr graduated from the University of Glasgow MB CM in 1890. As a senior undergraduate he was present in 1889 when Murdoch Cameron
Murdoch Cameron
Murdoch Cameron was Regius Professor of Midwifery at the University of Glasgow from 1894 to 1926. He was a pioneer of the Caesarean section under modern antiseptic conditions, becoming world famous after the success of his first Caesarean section at Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital in 1888...
performed the first series of follow-up Caesarean Section
Caesarean section
A Caesarean section, is a surgical procedure in which one or more incisions are made through a mother's abdomen and uterus to deliver one or more babies, or, rarely, to remove a dead fetus...
operations at the Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital
Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital
Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow, Scotland, was founded as the Glasgow Lying-in Hospital and Dispensary in 1834 in Greyfriars Wynd. It moved to St Andrews Square in 1841 then to Rottenrow in 1860...
, carried out after Cameron’s famous initial success in 1888.
Professional career
Fluent in German and French, Munro Kerr spent a number of years after his graduation in Germany, Austria and Ireland studying obstetrics and gynaecology at Berlin, Vienna and Dublin. From 1894 he acted as Professorial Assistant to Murdoch Cameron, a position that entailed both academic work at the University of Glasgow and practical experience on the obstetrical and gynaecological wards of Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital and Glasgow's Western InfirmaryWestern Infirmary
The Western Infirmary is a teaching hospital situated in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland. There is also a Maggie's centre at the hospital to help cancer patients, as well as the Glasgow Clinical Research Facility....
.
Appointed Visiting Surgeon at the Maternity Hospital in 1900, he published to great success Operative Midwifery in 1908. The text was originally written as the thesis for his MD at Glasgow. Munro Kerr was elected to the chair of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Glasgow Anderson College in 1910, and in a rapidly successful career he took the Muirhead chair of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Glasgow in 1911.
A Foundation Fellow Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in 1929 Munro Kerr was also its first Vice President until 1932. Succeeding Murdoch Cameron
Murdoch Cameron
Murdoch Cameron was Regius Professor of Midwifery at the University of Glasgow from 1894 to 1926. He was a pioneer of the Caesarean section under modern antiseptic conditions, becoming world famous after the success of his first Caesarean section at Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital in 1888...
on his retirement as Professor of Midwifery at Glasgow, Munro Kerr took the chair in the New Year of 1927 holding the position until his retirement in 1934. Munro Kerr won the Katherine Bishop Harman Prize in 1934 for his widely successful book Maternal Mortality and Morbidity (1933).
Retirement
Munro Kerr was made an honorary LLD by Glasgow in 1935 and later was the first recipient of the Blair Bell Medal. During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he acted as Medical Superintendent of the Kent and Canterbury Hospital and it was at Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
that he died in 1960.