William Pickles
Encyclopedia
William Norman Pickles (March 6, 1885 – March 2, 1969) was a British general practitioner and epidemiologist. He was the first president of the Royal College of General Practitioners
.
and then Leeds Medical School (Yorkshire College) in 1902. In his third year, he proceeded with his clinical studies at the Leeds General Infirmary
, qualifying as a licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries (LSA) in 1909. He served as resident obstetric officer at the Infirmary, followed by a series of temporary jobs and locum
s. He graduated MB BS
London in 1910 and MD
in 1918.
Pickles began working in Leeds, but in 1912 he visited Aysgarth
as a locum for Dr. Edward Hime. Later that year he served as a ship's doctor
on voyage to Calcutta, and on his return to England, resumed working for Dr. Hime as a second assistant in either 1912 or 1913.
In 1913, Dr. Hime left Wensleydale and sold the practice to Pickles and Dr. Dean Dunbar for £3000. Dunbar, from the Aysgarth
, Wensleydale, surgery assumed the position of Medical Officer for Health
at the workhouse and was also on the Board of Guardians
of the workhouse at Bainbridge
. Pickles was the second assistant to Dunbar. At the time, the practise in Aysgarth served eight villages and a population of 4,267.
When the First World War
broke out in 1914, Pickles joined the Royal Navy as ship's doctor in the Atlantic and remained in service until the end of the war. In 1919, he published his first article about Vincent's disease, from his experiences during the war.
In 1917, he married Gerturde Adelaide, daughter of Harry Tunstill, a wealthy mill owner from Burnley.
In 1930, he published an account in the British Medical Journal
of an epidemic of catarrhal jaundice in Wensleydale the previous year, in which he traced the entire epidemic affecting 250 people to a single child, and also established the long incubation of the disease of between 26 and 35 days. His seminal text Epidemiology in Country Practice appeared in 1937, touting the benefits of being a general practitioner in order to study diseases.
Pickles became the first President of the Royal College of General Practitioners in 1967.
He died on 2 March 1969. His wife died later the same year.
Royal College of General Practitioners
The Royal College of General Practitioners is the professional body for general practitioners in the United Kingdom. The RCGP represents and supports GPs on key issues including licensing, education, training, research and clinical standards. It is the largest of the medical royal colleges, with...
.
History
William was one of six sons of John Jagger Pickles, a general practitioner, and Lucy Pickles. All six children went into medicine. He attended Leeds Grammar SchoolLeeds Grammar School
Leeds Grammar School was an independent school in Leeds established in 1552. In August 2005 it merged with Leeds Girls' High School to form The Grammar School at Leeds. The two schools physically united in September 2008....
and then Leeds Medical School (Yorkshire College) in 1902. In his third year, he proceeded with his clinical studies at the Leeds General Infirmary
Leeds General Infirmary
Leeds General Infirmary, also known as the LGI or, more correctly, The General Infirmary at Leeds, is a large teaching hospital based in the centre of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England and is part of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust....
, qualifying as a licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries (LSA) in 1909. He served as resident obstetric officer at the Infirmary, followed by a series of temporary jobs and locum
Locum
Locum, short for the Latin phrase locum tenens , is a person who temporarily fulfills the duties of another. For example, a locum doctor is a doctor who works in the place of the regular doctor when that doctor is absent, or when a hospital/practice is short-staffed...
s. He graduated MB BS
Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, or in Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae , are the two first professional degrees awarded upon graduation from medical school in medicine and surgery by universities in various countries...
London in 1910 and MD
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
in 1918.
Pickles began working in Leeds, but in 1912 he visited Aysgarth
Aysgarth
Aysgarth is a village and civil parish in Wensleydale, in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. The village is in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, about sixteen miles south-west from Richmond...
as a locum for Dr. Edward Hime. Later that year he served as a ship's doctor
Ship's doctor
A Ship's doctor or Ship's surgeon is the person responsible for the health of the people aboard a ship whilst at sea. The term "ship's doctor" or "ship's surgeon" appears often in reference to the Age of Sail British Royal Navy's "surgeons." These men, like other physicians, often did not have much...
on voyage to Calcutta, and on his return to England, resumed working for Dr. Hime as a second assistant in either 1912 or 1913.
In 1913, Dr. Hime left Wensleydale and sold the practice to Pickles and Dr. Dean Dunbar for £3000. Dunbar, from the Aysgarth
Aysgarth
Aysgarth is a village and civil parish in Wensleydale, in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. The village is in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, about sixteen miles south-west from Richmond...
, Wensleydale, surgery assumed the position of Medical Officer for Health
Medical Officer for Health
The Medical Officer for Health is a title usually given to the head of the health department at a municipal level.In the United Kingdom, the municipal position was an elected head of the local board of health, however the term has also been used to refer to the Chief Medical Officer...
at the workhouse and was also on the Board of Guardians
Board of Guardians
Boards of guardians were ad hoc authorities that administered Poor Law in the United Kingdom from 1835 to 1930.-England and Wales:The boards were created by the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, replacing the parish Overseers of the Poor established under the old poor law, following the recommendations...
of the workhouse at Bainbridge
Bainbridge, North Yorkshire
Bainbridge is a village and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. The village is situated in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, near the confluence of the River Bain with the River Ure. According to the 2001 census the population was 438.Bainbridge is served by a...
. Pickles was the second assistant to Dunbar. At the time, the practise in Aysgarth served eight villages and a population of 4,267.
When the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke out in 1914, Pickles joined the Royal Navy as ship's doctor in the Atlantic and remained in service until the end of the war. In 1919, he published his first article about Vincent's disease, from his experiences during the war.
In 1917, he married Gerturde Adelaide, daughter of Harry Tunstill, a wealthy mill owner from Burnley.
In 1930, he published an account in the British Medical Journal
British Medical Journal
BMJ is a partially open-access peer-reviewed medical journal. Originally called the British Medical Journal, the title was officially shortened to BMJ in 1988. The journal is published by the BMJ Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Medical Association...
of an epidemic of catarrhal jaundice in Wensleydale the previous year, in which he traced the entire epidemic affecting 250 people to a single child, and also established the long incubation of the disease of between 26 and 35 days. His seminal text Epidemiology in Country Practice appeared in 1937, touting the benefits of being a general practitioner in order to study diseases.
Pickles became the first President of the Royal College of General Practitioners in 1967.
He died on 2 March 1969. His wife died later the same year.
Publications
- "Vincent's disease", J Roy Nav Med Serv 1919; 5: 87.
- Epidemiology in Country Practice, Proc R Soc Med. 1935 August; 28(10): 1337–1342.
- "Trends of general practice; a hundred years in a Yorkshire dale", The PractitionerThe PractitionerThe Practitioner is a medical journal established in 1868 by Macmillan Publishers with Francis Anstie as the editor....
. 1951. - "Sylvest's disease" (Bornholm disease). N Engl J Med.New England Journal of MedicineThe New England Journal of Medicine is an English-language peer-reviewed medical journal published by the Massachusetts Medical Society. It describes itself as the oldest continuously published medical journal in the world.-History:...
1954 Jun 17;250(24):1033-6. - "William Hillary; 1697-1763" Br Med J.British Medical JournalBMJ is a partially open-access peer-reviewed medical journal. Originally called the British Medical Journal, the title was officially shortened to BMJ in 1988. The journal is published by the BMJ Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Medical Association...
1957 Jan 12;1(5010):102.
External links
- William Pickles, MBBS, MD London, Hon. DSc. Leeds (1885 - 1969), School of Medicine, University of Leeds
- Dr William Pickles 1885 - 1969 (PDF), North East Public Health Observatory