James Niven
Encyclopedia
James Niven was a Scottish
physician most famous for his work during the Spanish Flu outbreak in 1918 as Manchester's Medical Officer of Health. He held the position for 28 years (1894–1922), until he retired. He held the degrees of M.A., M.B. and LL.D. He had been Oldham's Medical Officer of Health from 1886 to 1894. He lectured in Hygiene
at Owens College, Manchester. In 1925 he committed suicide.
on 12 August 1851. He graduated with an MA from the University of Aberdeen
in 1870 and continued his studies at Queens' College, Cambridge
, gaining his BA in 1874 as 8th Wrangler in the Mathematical Tripos and becoming a fellow at Queens'. He trained at St Thomas' Hospital
, finally becoming a qualified medical practitioner in 1899.
classed as a notifiable disease—-though it was over 20 years before that happened. Doctors and physicians in Oldham raised enough money to send Dr Niven to Berlin to study with Dr Robert Koch
, who had discovered the TB bacillus
in 1882, thereby proving that the disease was not caused by "bad air" as was generally believed. He also used Dr Koch's treatment at the Oldham General Infirmary
on his return, as well as dealing with smallpox, typhus, measles, scarlet fever and whooping cough. An Oldham Chronicle
obituary of 1925 said: "Dr Niven also showed an interest in child welfare well in advance of his time."
and Niven's position as Manchester's Medical Officer of Health made it his responsibility to coordinate the city's response. James Niven told Manchester businesses and schools to close to stop people passing on the flu, which killed quickly because it developed into pneumonia within hours. His advice was unheard of at a time when industrial production was returning to its height at the end of the 1914–18 war, people were celebrating and trying to get their lives back to normal, and many were mourning the millions who died in the trenches. Bill Paterson has called him "a huge hero" for his work. But it was largely forgotten—as was the pandemic, despite an estimated 70 million people dying from the sickness worldwide. He is credited for trying to restrict the impact of the disease on Manchester; being probably the first Medical Officer of Health to enforce preventive measures to stop the spread of disease. His saying was "Spit kills" and it was his far-sighted advice and actions which prevented the city suffering a higher death toll from that pandemic.
on 5 August 2009.
. On his death he left behind three daughters.
Throughout his life he received notable recognition for his pioneering work in Public Health
. This included an honorary degree
(LL.D) from the University of Aberdeen
, the presidentship of the Section of Epidemiology at the Royal Society of Medicine
and the Section of Public Health at the Annual Meeting of the British Medical Association in Manchester in 1902.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
physician most famous for his work during the Spanish Flu outbreak in 1918 as Manchester's Medical Officer of Health. He held the position for 28 years (1894–1922), until he retired. He held the degrees of M.A., M.B. and LL.D. He had been Oldham's Medical Officer of Health from 1886 to 1894. He lectured in Hygiene
Hygiene
Hygiene refers to the set of practices perceived by a community to be associated with the preservation of health and healthy living. While in modern medical sciences there is a set of standards of hygiene recommended for different situations, what is considered hygienic or not can vary between...
at Owens College, Manchester. In 1925 he committed suicide.
Background
He was born in PeterheadPeterhead
Peterhead is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is Aberdeenshire's biggest settlement , with a population of 17,947 at the 2001 Census and estimated to have fallen to 17,330 by 2006....
on 12 August 1851. He graduated with an MA from 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...
in 1870 and continued his studies at Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
, gaining his BA in 1874 as 8th Wrangler in the Mathematical Tripos and becoming a fellow at Queens'. He trained at St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital is a large NHS hospital in London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It has provided health care freely or under charitable auspices since the 12th century and was originally located in Southwark.St Thomas' Hospital is accessible...
, finally becoming a qualified medical practitioner in 1899.
Medical Officer of Health for Oldham
During his time in Oldham he had campaigned to have tuberculosisTuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
classed as a notifiable disease—-though it was over 20 years before that happened. Doctors and physicians in Oldham raised enough money to send Dr Niven to Berlin to study with Dr Robert Koch
Robert Koch
Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch was a German physician. He became famous for isolating Bacillus anthracis , the Tuberculosis bacillus and the Vibrio cholerae and for his development of Koch's postulates....
, who had discovered the TB bacillus
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a pathogenic bacterial species in the genus Mycobacterium and the causative agent of most cases of tuberculosis . First discovered in 1882 by Robert Koch, M...
in 1882, thereby proving that the disease was not caused by "bad air" as was generally believed. He also used Dr Koch's treatment at the Oldham General Infirmary
Royal Oldham Hospital
The Royal Oldham Hospital is a NHS hospital in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. It forms part of Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and was opened with its present name on 1 December 1989. Its services are commissioned by NHS Oldham....
on his return, as well as dealing with smallpox, typhus, measles, scarlet fever and whooping cough. An Oldham Chronicle
Oldham Evening Chronicle
The Oldham Evening Chronicle is a daily newspaper published each weekday evening. It is a local newspaper which serves the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England...
obituary of 1925 said: "Dr Niven also showed an interest in child welfare well in advance of his time."
Medical Officer of Health for Manchester
Dr Niven moved to his new post in 1894 and remained holder until his retirement in 1922. On his initiative tuberculosis became a voluntary notifiable disease in the city in 1899.During Spanish Flu, 1918
Spanish Flu was a pandemic that spread to Britain towards the end of World War IWorld 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...
and Niven's position as Manchester's Medical Officer of Health made it his responsibility to coordinate the city's response. James Niven told Manchester businesses and schools to close to stop people passing on the flu, which killed quickly because it developed into pneumonia within hours. His advice was unheard of at a time when industrial production was returning to its height at the end of the 1914–18 war, people were celebrating and trying to get their lives back to normal, and many were mourning the millions who died in the trenches. Bill Paterson has called him "a huge hero" for his work. But it was largely forgotten—as was the pandemic, despite an estimated 70 million people dying from the sickness worldwide. He is credited for trying to restrict the impact of the disease on Manchester; being probably the first Medical Officer of Health to enforce preventive measures to stop the spread of disease. His saying was "Spit kills" and it was his far-sighted advice and actions which prevented the city suffering a higher death toll from that pandemic.
Television programme
A dramatisation of the Spanish flu period in Manchester was transmitted on BBC television as Spanish Flu: The Forgotten FallenSpanish Flu: The Forgotten Fallen
Spanish Flu: The Forgotten Fallen is a 2009 television drama. It deals with Dr James Niven's attempts to deal with the 1918 flu pandemic in Manchester. Its screenplay was written by Peter Harness and it starred Bill Paterson as Niven, along with Mark Gatiss, Kenneth Cranham and Charlotte Riley. It...
on 5 August 2009.
Life and legacy
He published Observations on the History of Public Health Effort in Manchester (Manchester City Council, 1923). Following Dr Niven's retirement in 1922 he suffered from depression and committed suicide in 1925 on the Isle of ManIsle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. On his death he left behind three daughters.
Throughout his life he received notable recognition for his pioneering work in Public Health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
. This included an honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
(LL.D) from 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...
, the presidentship of the Section of Epidemiology at the Royal Society of Medicine
Royal Society of Medicine
The Royal Society of Medicine is a British charitable organisation whose main purpose is as a provider of medical education, running over 350 meetings and conferences each year.- History and overview :...
and the Section of Public Health at the Annual Meeting of the British Medical Association in Manchester in 1902.
Further reading
- Obituary, British Medical Journal, 10 October 1925
- An article in: Elwood, Willis J. & Tuxford, Félicité, eds. (1984) Some Manchester Doctors: a biographical collection to mark the 150th anniversary of the Manchester Medical Society 1834–1984. Manchester: Univ. Press