Frederic John Poynton
Encyclopedia
Dr. Frederic John Poynton M.D.
, F.R.C.P.
(26 June 1869 – 29 October 1943) was an English physician
who studied rheumatism
in children while practicing at Great Ormond Street Hospital
and University College Hospital
. Also a keen cricket
er, he played 25 first-class
matches for Somerset County Cricket Club
between 1891 and 1896.
, and then studied medicine at University College, Bristol
. He qualified in 1893 and specialised in children's medicine, which resulted in him being appointed as assistant physician at Great Ormond Street Hospital
in 1900, and at University College Hospital
(UCH) in 1903. He married Alice Constance Campbell-Orde, daughter of Sir John William Powlett Campbell-Orde
in December 1904. UCH appointed him as a full physician in 1910. During the First World War, he served in the Royal Army Medical Corps
as a captain
. In 1919 he was appointed as a full physician as Great Ormond Street, and over the following years he attempted to secure the site of the Foundling Hospital
, which has recented relocated, so that Great Ormond Street could expand. He failed in this endeavour, but these years still provided him with the peak of his medical career. He was the Bradshaw lecturer at the Royal College of Physicians
in 1924 and the Lettsomian lecturer at the Medical Society of London
in 1927. In 1931, he was elected president of the British Paediatric Association, and in 1934, the year he retired from hospital appointments, he was the Long Fox Lecturer at Bristol. In 1939, he and his wife divorced.
In 1907, he wrote a book on Heart Disease and Thoracic Aneurysm. He was particularly interested in childhood rheumatism
, a subject on which he wrote extensively, working with Alexander Paine. His writings were often controversial, fueling feuds with a number of his contemporaries. In Poynton and Paine's 1913 publication Researches on Rheumatism, they formulated a streptococcal
theory for the cause of acute rheumatism, which was strongly argued against. He was awarded the Dawson Williams Memorial prize for founding the Heard Homes for convalescent rheumatic children in London. He co-authored Recent Advances in the Study of Rheumatism with Dr Bernard Schlesinger, which reached a second edition in 1937. In his obituary in the British Medical Journal
, he is described as a pioneer of the bacteriology of acute rheumatism.
, in a match starting 1 June 1891. He claimed a solitary wicket in Surrey's first-innings, having only bowled two overs, and in Somerset's successive innings—they were forced to follow-on—he remained two not out
in the first and was dismissed for seven in the second as Somerset only managed 37 in each innings. One further appearance in 1891 against Kent
saw him pick up a single run as the Somerset innings closed with Poynton unbeaten
.
His next matches for Somerset weren't until 1893, when he appeared 12 times for the county, the most he would play in any single season of his career, After scoring runs down the order
in the early part of the season, Poynton batted as part of the top order most of the year. He scored his first half-century in first-class cricket as an opener, making 51 against Yorkshire
. Yorkshire were also the opponents when he claimed his second, and final career first-class wicket, bowling
George Ulyett
. Two first-class matches in 1894 brought Poynton little success, he averaged just 6.50 with the bat.
Poynton reached his highest total in first-class cricket in an 1895 match against Sussex
, scoring 57 before being run out
. A high-scoring match, it also provided highest career scores to team-mate Sammy Woods
who scored 215, and Sussex's Francis Marlow who scored 155. He scored his final half-century in a county match against Hampshire
with a second-innings 55, which helped set up a 183 run victory for Somerset. He played in four matches in 1896, and in eight innings failed to reach 20. His final first-class match was, like his first, against Surrey at The Oval
starting on 1 June and, as with the first, Somerset suffered a heavy loss.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
, F.R.C.P.
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
(26 June 1869 – 29 October 1943) was an English physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
who studied rheumatism
Rheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
in children while practicing at Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children is a children's hospital located in London, United Kingdom...
and 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 ....
. Also a keen cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er, he played 25 first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
matches for Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
between 1891 and 1896.
Life and medical career
Born in June 1869, Poynton was the son of a Bath clergyman. He was educated first at Marlborough CollegeMarlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
, and then studied medicine at University College, Bristol
University College, Bristol
University College, Bristol was an educational institution which existed from 1876 to 1909. It was the predecessor institution to the University of Bristol, which gained a Royal Charter in 1909...
. He qualified in 1893 and specialised in children's medicine, which resulted in him being appointed as assistant physician at Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children is a children's hospital located in London, United Kingdom...
in 1900, and 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 ....
(UCH) in 1903. He married Alice Constance Campbell-Orde, daughter of Sir John William Powlett Campbell-Orde
Campbell-Orde Baronets
The Orde, later Campbell-Orde Baronetcy, of Morpeth in the County of Northumberland, is a title in the Baronetage of Great Britain. It was created on 9 August 1790 for the naval commander John Orde. He was the younger brother of Thomas Orde-Powlett, 1st Baron Bolton...
in December 1904. UCH appointed him as a full physician in 1910. During the First World War, he served in the Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
as a captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
. In 1919 he was appointed as a full physician as Great Ormond Street, and over the following years he attempted to secure the site of the Foundling Hospital
Foundling Hospital
The Foundling Hospital in London, England was founded in 1741 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" was used in a more general sense than it is today, simply...
, which has recented relocated, so that Great Ormond Street could expand. He failed in this endeavour, but these years still provided him with the peak of his medical career. He was the Bradshaw lecturer at the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
in 1924 and the Lettsomian lecturer at the Medical Society of London
Medical Society of London
The Medical Society of London is one of the oldest surviving medical societies in the United Kingdom ....
in 1927. In 1931, he was elected president of the British Paediatric Association, and in 1934, the year he retired from hospital appointments, he was the Long Fox Lecturer at Bristol. In 1939, he and his wife divorced.
In 1907, he wrote a book on Heart Disease and Thoracic Aneurysm. He was particularly interested in childhood rheumatism
Rheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
, a subject on which he wrote extensively, working with Alexander Paine. His writings were often controversial, fueling feuds with a number of his contemporaries. In Poynton and Paine's 1913 publication Researches on Rheumatism, they formulated a streptococcal
Streptococcus
Streptococcus is a genus of spherical Gram-positive bacteria belonging to the phylum Firmicutes and the lactic acid bacteria group. Cellular division occurs along a single axis in these bacteria, and thus they grow in chains or pairs, hence the name — from Greek στρεπτος streptos, meaning...
theory for the cause of acute rheumatism, which was strongly argued against. He was awarded the Dawson Williams Memorial prize for founding the Heard Homes for convalescent rheumatic children in London. He co-authored Recent Advances in the Study of Rheumatism with Dr Bernard Schlesinger, which reached a second edition in 1937. In his obituary 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...
, he is described as a pioneer of the bacteriology of acute rheumatism.
Cricket career
He made his debut for Somerset against SurreySurrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
, in a match starting 1 June 1891. He claimed a solitary wicket in Surrey's first-innings, having only bowled two overs, and in Somerset's successive innings—they were forced to follow-on—he remained two not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
in the first and was dismissed for seven in the second as Somerset only managed 37 in each innings. One further appearance in 1891 against Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
saw him pick up a single run as the Somerset innings closed with Poynton unbeaten
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
.
His next matches for Somerset weren't until 1893, when he appeared 12 times for the county, the most he would play in any single season of his career, After scoring runs down the order
Batting order (cricket)
In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time...
in the early part of the season, Poynton batted as part of the top order most of the year. He scored his first half-century in first-class cricket as an opener, making 51 against Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
. Yorkshire were also the opponents when he claimed his second, and final career first-class wicket, bowling
Bowled
Bowled is a method of dismissing a batsman in the sport of cricket. This method of dismissal is covered by Law 30 of the Laws of cricket.A batsman is out bowled if his wicket is put down by a ball delivered by the bowler...
George Ulyett
George Ulyett
George Ulyett was an English all-round cricketer, noted particularly for his very-aggressive batsmanship. A well-liked man , Ulyett was popularly known as "Happy Jack", once musing memorably that Yorkshire played him only for his good behaviour and his whistling...
. Two first-class matches in 1894 brought Poynton little success, he averaged just 6.50 with the bat.
Poynton reached his highest total in first-class cricket in an 1895 match against Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
, scoring 57 before being run out
Run out
Run out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. It is governed by Law 38 of the Laws of cricket.-The rules:A batsman is out Run out if at any time while the ball is in play no part of his bat or person is grounded behind the popping crease and his wicket is fairly put down by the opposing...
. A high-scoring match, it also provided highest career scores to team-mate Sammy Woods
Sammy Woods
Samuel Moses James "Sammy" Woods was an Australian sportsman who represented both Australia and England at Test cricket, and appeared thirteen times for England at rugby union, including five times as captain. He also played at county level in England at both soccer and hockey...
who scored 215, and Sussex's Francis Marlow who scored 155. He scored his final half-century in a county match against Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
with a second-innings 55, which helped set up a 183 run victory for Somerset. He played in four matches in 1896, and in eight innings failed to reach 20. His final first-class match was, like his first, against Surrey at The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
starting on 1 June and, as with the first, Somerset suffered a heavy loss.