James Walker Dawson
Encyclopedia
Dr. James Walker Dawson was a Scottish
pathologist remembered for his work on multiple sclerosis
including the description of the eponymous Dawson's fingers
.
. He spent 13 years overseas, mainly in India, the United States
, Canada
and New Zealand
, and worked as a lumberjack
and sheep farmer
during this time. In 1903 he resumed his training, and graduated M.B, C.M. the next year. He started research into disorders of the nervous system
at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
under Dr. Alexander Bruce. In 1910 he was awarded the Syme Fellowship in surgery, and the following year he was awarded his M.D.
with a gold medal for his thesis Studies on Inflammation. He was unable to serve in World War I
due to ill health, so he taught pathology at the University of Edinburgh.
Bruce died unexpectedly, and Dawson continued the research on his own. In 1916 he published a landmark paper on the histology of "disseminated sclerosis", describing the distribution and stages of lesions, reviewing theories on the aetiology and describing the inflammatory process seen in the disease. This work formed the basis for his D.Sc.
thesis in the same year. In his book The Founders of Neurology which was published in 1953, W. Haymaker stated that little had been added to this work in the intervening 40 years.
He declined a number of appointments, again due to ill health, and continued working as a histologist in the laboratory at the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh. He produced publications including work on mulitple neuroma
ta of the central nervous system
, generalised osteitis fibrosa
, melanoma
ta and syringomyelia
. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 1924, and also published an address on The Spirit of Leisure and the Spirit of Work which was presented to Edinburgh medical students for many years. He was preparing three Morison Lectures for presentation to the Royal College of Physicians at the time of his death in 1927.
James Dawson was married to Edith Kate Dawson who was herself a pathologist of international repute.
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...
pathologist remembered for his work on multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
including the description of the eponymous Dawson's fingers
Dawson's fingers
"Dawson's Fingers" is the name for the multiple sclerosis lesions around the ventricle-based brain veins of Multiple Sclerosis patients. The condition is supposed to be the result of inflammation or mechanical damage by blood pressurearound long axis of medular veins.Dawson's fingers spread along,...
.
Biography
James Dawson started his medical training at Edinburgh University in 1888, but had to interrupt his studies due to 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...
. He spent 13 years overseas, mainly in India, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and worked as a lumberjack
Lumberjack
A lumberjack is a worker in the logging industry who performs the initial harvesting and transport of trees for ultimate processing into forest products. The term usually refers to a bygone era when hand tools were used in harvesting trees principally from virgin forest...
and sheep farmer
Sheep husbandry
Sheep husbandry is a subcategory of animal husbandry specifically dealing with the raising and breeding of domestic sheep. Sheep farming is primarily based on raising lambs for meat, or raising sheep for wool. Sheep may also be raised for milk or to sell to other farmers.-Shelter and...
during this time. In 1903 he resumed his training, and graduated M.B, C.M. the next year. He started research into disorders of the nervous system
Nervous system
The nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous...
at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh was established in the 17th century. While the RCPE is based in Edinburgh, it is by no means just a Scottish professional body - more than half of its 7,700 Fellows, Members, Associates and Affiliates live and practice medicine outside Scotland, in 86...
under Dr. Alexander Bruce. In 1910 he was awarded the Syme Fellowship in surgery, and the following year he was awarded his M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
with a gold medal for his thesis Studies on Inflammation. He was unable to serve in 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...
due to ill health, so he taught pathology at the University of Edinburgh.
Bruce died unexpectedly, and Dawson continued the research on his own. In 1916 he published a landmark paper on the histology of "disseminated sclerosis", describing the distribution and stages of lesions, reviewing theories on the aetiology and describing the inflammatory process seen in the disease. This work formed the basis for his D.Sc.
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
thesis in the same year. In his book The Founders of Neurology which was published in 1953, W. Haymaker stated that little had been added to this work in the intervening 40 years.
He declined a number of appointments, again due to ill health, and continued working as a histologist in the laboratory at the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh. He produced publications including work on mulitple neuroma
Neuroma
A neuroma is a growth or tumor of nerve tissue. Just as the Latin word for swelling is now restricted to neoplasias, the equivalent Greek suffix -oma has shared in that fate. Thus, the typical modern usage of neuroma is for nerve tumors...
ta of the central nervous system
Central nervous system
The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that integrates the information that it receives from, and coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish...
, generalised osteitis fibrosa
Osteitis fibrosa cystica
Osteitis fibrosa cystica , abbreviated OFC, and also known as osteitis fibrosa, osteodystrophia fibrosa, not to be confused with Von Recklinghausen's disease of bone . Osteitis Fbrosa Cystica is a skeletal disorder caused by a surplus of parathyroid hormone from over-active parathyroid glands...
, melanoma
Melanoma
Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye...
ta and syringomyelia
Syringomyelia
Syringomyelia is a generic term referring to a disorder in which a cyst or cavity forms within the spinal cord. This cyst, called a syrinx, can expand and elongate over time, destroying the spinal cord. The damage may result in pain, paralysis, weakness, and stiffness in the back, shoulders, and...
. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 1924, and also published an address on The Spirit of Leisure and the Spirit of Work which was presented to Edinburgh medical students for many years. He was preparing three Morison Lectures for presentation to the Royal College of Physicians at the time of his death in 1927.
James Dawson was married to Edith Kate Dawson who was herself a pathologist of international repute.