THE LATE DR. W. IRONSIDE BRUCE
1921
BMJ (Clinical Research Edition)
STHuyTrsr~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~EIA ORA THE LATE DR. W. IRONSIDE BRUCE. AN old friend, and colleagoue sends an appreciation of Dr-Ironside Bruce, of whom an obittuary notice appeared in our last issue: When many years ago the writer first met Ironside Bruce it was as his chief clinical assistant at Charing Cross Hospital. At that time the picture was that of a young man remarkable for his quickness of action and manner, with rapid and incisive speech, and with just a piquant flavour or Scotland
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... on his tongue. Endowed with marvellous energy, he was wonderfully patient with others and kiind and considerate to his subordinates. To his clinical assistants. Bruce was invariably helpful, always at their back, yet urging themii on to work out things for themselves, and this, not from any inclination to shirk work, but because he appreciated the fact that the only way to teach. people was to let them find their own legs. The wealth of Bruce's knowledge' in his' own sphere of work was shown in the excellence of his lectures and demcnstrations to men who were working for the diploma in medical radiology of Cambridge University. On the subject of the necessity for comprehensive teaching of the radiologists of the future, there was no greater enthusiast than Bruce; only a week ago the writer received a message from him that he hoped he might be able to give some lectures in the ensuinag term. How far the strenuous worl done by Ironside Bruce during the war helped to lower his vitality the writer can only surmise; he does, however, know that from the enormous x-ray department of the King George (Military) Hospital, 'with but short an(d infrequent rests, Bruce was never absent on one of his appointed days. To the writer Bruce has never appeared to have been quite the same man since that time of terrible stress. Ironside Bruce was a clever man, a man of shrewd jtudgement, and withal a man of the most winning' personality. Had he been spared there is no knowing what valuable records he might have left behind him. The stress of busy practice left him no time to give to the world what he could have given, and what, as he told the writer, he hoped to give. That he died a martyr to the science he loved is a truism; that a life so full of great possibilities should have been sacriflced is nothing short of a calamity. It-is for us to -do what we can to lessen, if possible, this sacrifice of life among x-ray workers. The following message from His Majesty has been received by the Earl of Lonsdale, Treasurer of Charing Cross Hospital: " The King has learnt with much regret of the tragic death of Dr. Ironside Bruce, radiologist to the Charing Cross Hospital, and I am commanded to convey to you and the hospital staff His Majesty's sincere sympathy in the loss of so brilliant a physician, who sacrificed his life in the cause of science and humanity." The post-graduates attending the courses in radiology for the Cambridge diploma at the Fellowship of Medicine and Post-Graduate Medical Association adopted, on March 23rd, a resolution expressing their sympathy with the' widow, ahd putting on record their admiration of Dr. Ironside Bruce, " whose genial good-nature, ability as a teacher, and self-sacrificing devotion to his work endeared him to all with whom he came in contact." THE deathi is announced of Mr. C. A. NANJAPA, I.M.S. Colonel J. Smytlh, I.M.S., retired, formerly senior surgeon and sanitary commissioner, Mysore, writes C. A. Nanjapa, I.M.S., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., senior surgeon to the government of His Highness the Allabaraja of Mysore, passed away on February 19th, 1921. He had just been promoted to the highest position in His Highness's medical service, yet a young man full of zeal and energy and high determination in regard to the duties that now devolved upon him. He spent a week with us here last year. Be was obviously then much out of health, an,d was full of appreciation of the kindness of the profe?ion in London to him in connexion with his disability. The loss of his only son and child on the way to England was a severe blow to both parents. And now the end has come. Of a very. bright optimistic disposition, y-et never anxious to appear much in public, he seldom published his work. It sufficed for him that he did his work conscientiouslv and well. In the hospital his cheery hearty manner contributed much to tlhe contentment and comfort of the patients. He did not grow rich; to lhave a competence sufficed him. A gentleman in all respects, he left good impressions wherever he went. Educated in Madras, London and-New York, and specializing in electrotherapeutics, his knowledge of men was as wide as. bis knowledge of medicine. He was absolutely free from suspicion or mistrust in Englishmnen. He gave us credit for entire sincerity and a desire to be true to our salt. He was therefore a personal friend of many Englishmen, whose hearts were won by the straightforward manly spirit he always evinced.
doi:10.1136/bmj.1.3144.514
fatcat:rlyd2otdsfgp3jc24p5dvte72e