James Learmonth
Encyclopedia
Sir James Rögnvald Learmonth (1895 – 1967) was a Scottish surgeon who made pioneering advances in nerve surgery
.
, Kirkcudbrightshire
, Scotland. He first studied at Girthon School where his father, William Learmonth, was headmaster, later moving to Kilmarnock Academy
. From there, he went to the University of Glasgow
to study medicine, starting in the autumn of 1913. He completed his first year, but further study was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I
. He served in France on the Western Front
as a commissioned officer with the King's Own Scottish Borderers
. By the end of the war, he had attained the rank of Captain.
during 1921 and 1922. This was followed by a period of research that led to a Rockefeller Scholarship at the Mayo Clinic
in Rochester, Minnesota, USA, for the year 1924–5.
Following his research work in the USA, he returned to Scotland and resumed his work at the Western Infirmary in Glasgow. He also continued to study and in 1927 he obtained his Masters in Surgery (Ch.M.) and in 1928 he become a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
. His research work led to him being invited back to the Mayo Clinic for a second time, and he worked there for the next four years.
In 1932, Learmonth chose to give up his practice in the USA and returned to Scotland to take up the position of Regius Professor of Surgery
at the University of Aberdeen
, a position he would hold for the next six years until 1938. He then held professorships in surgery at the University of Edinburgh
from 1939 until his retirement in 1956. The first was the Chair of Surgery (1939), which he then held jointly with the Regius Chair of Clinical Surgery (1946). One of his students at Edinburgh during this period was Sheila Sherlock
, who became a pioneering hepatologist.
In 1949, Learmonth performed a lumbar sympathectomy on King George VI
to treat the king's vascular disease (thromboangiitis obliterans). For this service, Learmonth was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO), being "knighted in the king's bedroom". He was also appointed as a surgeon to the King in Scotland, and following his death as a surgeon to the new Queen in Scotland from 1952 to 1960.
(1949), and chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
(1951). He was also awarded the 1951 Lister Medal for his contributions to surgical science. The corresponding Lister Oration, given at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, was delivered on 4 April 1952, and was titled 'After Fifty-Six Years'.
Learmonth was also recognised with honorary Doctor of Laws
(LL.D.) degrees from the University of Glasgow
(1949), the University of Strasbourg
, the University of Paris
, the University of St Andrews
, the University of Edinburgh
, the University of Oslo
, and the University of Sydney
. He was also made honorary fellow of the American College of Surgeons
(1950), the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
(1954), and the Royal Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (1954).
, USA. They had two children, a son and a daughter. In his retirement, Learmonth worked as an assesssor for the University of Glasgow. Early in 1967, Learmonth, who was a heavy smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer
; he died at his home in Broughton later that year on 27 September 1967.
Obituaries were published in the Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, The British Medical Journal, The Lancet
, and the Glasgow University Gazette. One of the tributes in The British Medical Journal stated that Learmonth "ranks with William Mayo
, Harvey Cushing
and Geoffrey Jefferson
as one of the surgical giants of our time".
Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spine, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.-In the United States:In...
.
Early years
James Rögnvald Learmonth was born on 23 March 1895 in Gatehouse of FleetGatehouse of Fleet
Gatehouse of Fleet is a town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, which has existed since the mid-18th century, although the area has been inhabited since much earlier...
, Kirkcudbrightshire
Kirkcudbrightshire
The Stewartry of Kirkcudbright or Kirkcudbrightshire was a county of south-western Scotland. It was also known as East Galloway, forming the larger Galloway region with Wigtownshire....
, Scotland. He first studied at Girthon School where his father, William Learmonth, was headmaster, later moving to Kilmarnock Academy
Kilmarnock Academy
Kilmarnock Academy is a comprehensive school, one of several in Kilmarnock, a town in western Scotland. It can trace its history back to the local burgh school founded in the 1630s and the first school to bear the name was established in 1807...
. From there, he went to the University of Glasgow
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...
to study medicine, starting in the autumn of 1913. He completed his first year, but further study was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I
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...
. He served in France on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
as a commissioned officer with the King's Own Scottish Borderers
King's Own Scottish Borderers
The King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
. By the end of the war, he had attained the rank of Captain.
Medical career
After the war, Learmonth returned to the University of Glasgow and added to the honours he had received in his first year, graduating in 1921. He was considered the "outstanding medical student of his year", being awarded the university's Brunton Medal. He then continued his medical training at 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....
during 1921 and 1922. This was followed by a period of research that led to a Rockefeller Scholarship at the Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of...
in Rochester, Minnesota, USA, for the year 1924–5.
Following his research work in the USA, he returned to Scotland and resumed his work at the Western Infirmary in Glasgow. He also continued to study and in 1927 he obtained his Masters in Surgery (Ch.M.) and in 1928 he become a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is an organisation dedicated to the pursuit of excellence and advancement in surgical practice, through its interest in education, training and examinations, its liaison with external medical bodies and representation of the modern surgical workforce...
. His research work led to him being invited back to the Mayo Clinic for a second time, and he worked there for the next four years.
In 1932, Learmonth chose to give up his practice in the USA and returned to Scotland to take up the position of Regius Professor of Surgery
Regius Professor of Surgery (Aberdeen)
The Regius Professor of Surgery is a Regius professorship held at the University of Aberdeen. The position was created by Queen Victoria in 1839 and was originally a professorship at Marischal College, until it amalgamated with King's College in 1860 to become the University of Aberdeen.-Holders:*...
at the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
, a position he would hold for the next six years until 1938. He then held professorships in surgery at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
from 1939 until his retirement in 1956. The first was the Chair of Surgery (1939), which he then held jointly with the Regius Chair of Clinical Surgery (1946). One of his students at Edinburgh during this period was Sheila Sherlock
Sheila Sherlock
Professor Dame Sheila Patricia Violet Sherlock, Mrs. James, DBE, MD, FRCP, FRCP Ed, FRS was a British physician, hepatologist and teacher.-Early life:...
, who became a pioneering hepatologist.
In 1949, Learmonth performed a lumbar sympathectomy on King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
to treat the king's vascular disease (thromboangiitis obliterans). For this service, Learmonth was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO), being "knighted in the king's bedroom". He was also appointed as a surgeon to the King in Scotland, and following his death as a surgeon to the new Queen in Scotland from 1952 to 1960.
Awards and honours
Learmonth's awards and honours include being appointed Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1944), Commander of the British Empire (1945), honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of EnglandRoyal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
(1949), and chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
(1951). He was also awarded the 1951 Lister Medal for his contributions to surgical science. The corresponding Lister Oration, given at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, was delivered on 4 April 1952, and was titled 'After Fifty-Six Years'.
Learmonth was also recognised with honorary Doctor of Laws
Legum Doctor
Legum Doctor is a doctorate-level academic degree in law, or an honorary doctorate, depending on the jurisdiction. The double L in the abbreviation refers to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both Canon Law and Civil Law, the double L indicating the plural, Doctor of both...
(LL.D.) degrees from the University of Glasgow
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...
(1949), the University of Strasbourg
University of Strasbourg
The University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, is the largest university in France, with about 43,000 students and over 4,000 researchers....
, the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
, the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
, and the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. He was also made honorary fellow of the American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is an educational association of surgeons created in 1913 to improve the quality of care for the surgical patient by setting high standards for surgical education and practice.-Membership:...
(1950), the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons is the body responsible for training and examining surgeons in Australia and New Zealand. The head office of the College is in Melbourne, Australia....
(1954), and the Royal Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (1954).
Final years
Learmonth retired in 1956 at the age of 61. He moved to Broughton with his wife, Charlotte Newell Bundy, whom he had met and married in 1925 during his first period working at the Mayo Clinic. Charlotte was the daughter of F. G. and Nellie Bundy, of St. Johnsbury, VermontSt. Johnsbury, Vermont
St. Johnsbury is the shire town of Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 7,571 at the 2000 census. St. Johnsbury is located approximately northwest of the Connecticut River and south of the Canadian border.St...
, USA. They had two children, a son and a daughter. In his retirement, Learmonth worked as an assesssor for the University of Glasgow. Early in 1967, Learmonth, who was a heavy smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
; he died at his home in Broughton later that year on 27 September 1967.
Obituaries were published in the Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, The British Medical Journal, The Lancet
The Lancet
The Lancet is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal. It is one of the world's best known, oldest, and most respected general medical journals...
, and the Glasgow University Gazette. One of the tributes in The British Medical Journal stated that Learmonth "ranks with William Mayo
William Worrall Mayo
William Worrall Mayo was a British medical doctor and chemist, best known for establishing the private medical practice that later evolved into the Mayo Clinic. He was a descendant of a famous English chemist, John Mayow. His sons, William James Mayo and Charles Horace Mayo, joined the private...
, Harvey Cushing
Harvey Cushing
Harvey Williams Cushing, M.D. , was an American neurosurgeon and a pioneer of brain surgery, and the first to describe Cushing's syndrome...
and Geoffrey Jefferson
Geoffrey Jefferson
Sir Geoffrey Jefferson FRS was a British neurologist and pioneering neurosurgeon. He was educated in Manchester, England, obtaining his medical degree in 1909. He became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons two years later. He married in 1914, and moved to Canada...
as one of the surgical giants of our time".
External links
- Thoughtful Surgeon: James Rognvald Learmonth (1969, edited by Donald Macleod Douglas)