William Valentine Mayneord
Encyclopedia
William Valentine Mayneord, CBE
FRS (14 Feb 1902 - 10 Aug 1988) was a British radiologist and pioneer in the field of medical physics
.
He was born in Redditch, Worcestershire to Walter and Elizabeth Mayneord but after the early death of his mother was adopted by an aunt in Evesham. He was educated at Prince Henry's School, Evesham
and gained a Bachelor of Science
at the University of Birmingham
He entered the field of medical physics in 1924 at St Bart's Hospital
in London
. In 1927 he moved to the Cancer Hospital, now the Royal Marsden Hospital. During WWII he was seconded by the government to work in Canada on the radiological aspects of atomic energy development.
It has been said that such was his renown, especially for bringing in the use of the radiological unit the rad
, that the SI
unit may well have been called the Mayneord instead of the Gray
(2). It was during a meeting in 1946 with a young Harold Elford Johns
, inventor of the cobalt-60
teletherapy unit, that Johns was prompted to go into medical physics. His department subsequently developed one of the world's first radioisotope scanners.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1965. His candidacy citation resd: "Distinguished for his applications of physics to medical sciences. He was responsible for the use of fluorescence spectroscopy in the collaborative study of carcinogenic agents in coal-tar which led to the discovery of the activity of 3:4 - benzpyrene . He was among the first to measure gamma-radiation in "r" units. His precision measurements have stood the test of time. He is recognised as the leading authority in the United Kingdom on the applications of radiation dosimetry to medical radiology and to the problems of radiation hazards."
He was awarded a CBE
in 1965.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
FRS (14 Feb 1902 - 10 Aug 1988) was a British radiologist and pioneer in the field of medical physics
Medical physics
Medical physics is the application of physics to medicine. It generally concerns physics as applied to medical imaging and radiotherapy, although a medical physicist may also work in many other areas of healthcare...
.
He was born in Redditch, Worcestershire to Walter and Elizabeth Mayneord but after the early death of his mother was adopted by an aunt in Evesham. He was educated at Prince Henry's School, Evesham
Prince Henry's High School
Prince Henry's High School, also known as Prince Henry's, is a secondary school in Evesham, Worcestershire, England. It is a co-educational comprehensive high school, in which there are about 1260 students enrolled, aged between 13 and 18...
and gained a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
at the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
He entered the field of medical physics in 1924 at St Bart's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, also known as Barts, is a hospital in Smithfield in the City of London, England.-Early history:It was founded in 1123 by Raherus or Rahere , a favourite courtier of King Henry I...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 1927 he moved to the Cancer Hospital, now the Royal Marsden Hospital. During WWII he was seconded by the government to work in Canada on the radiological aspects of atomic energy development.
It has been said that such was his renown, especially for bringing in the use of the radiological unit the rad
Rad (unit)
The rad is a unit of absorbed radiation dose. The rad was first proposed in 1918 as "that quantity of X rays which when absorbed will cause the destruction of the malignant mammalian cells in question..." It was defined in CGS units in 1953 as the dose causing 100 ergs of energy to be absorbed by...
, that the SI
Si
Si, si, or SI may refer to :- Measurement, mathematics and science :* International System of Units , the modern international standard version of the metric system...
unit may well have been called the Mayneord instead of the Gray
Gray (unit)
The gray is the SI unit of absorbed radiation dose of ionizing radiation , and is defined as the absorption of one joule of ionizing radiation by one kilogram of matter ....
(2). It was during a meeting in 1946 with a young Harold Elford Johns
Harold E. Johns
Harold Elford Johns, OC was a Canadian medical physicist, noted for his extensive contributions to the use of ionizing radiation to treat cancer.-Early life and education:...
, inventor of the cobalt-60
Cobalt-60
Cobalt-60, , is a synthetic radioactive isotope of cobalt. Due to its half-life of 5.27 years, is not found in nature. It is produced artificially by neutron activation of . decays by beta decay to the stable isotope nickel-60...
teletherapy unit, that Johns was prompted to go into medical physics. His department subsequently developed one of the world's first radioisotope scanners.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1965. His candidacy citation resd: "Distinguished for his applications of physics to medical sciences. He was responsible for the use of fluorescence spectroscopy in the collaborative study of carcinogenic agents in coal-tar which led to the discovery of the activity of 3:4 - benzpyrene . He was among the first to measure gamma-radiation in "r" units. His precision measurements have stood the test of time. He is recognised as the leading authority in the United Kingdom on the applications of radiation dosimetry to medical radiology and to the problems of radiation hazards."
He was awarded a CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in 1965.
External links
- Robison, R.F. (1995), 'The Race For Megavoltage X-Rays Versus Telegamma', Acta Oncologica,34:8, 1055 — 1074