OBITUARIES
Henry Rollin
Psychiatrist who helped transform Britain’s asylums
Henry Ropoport Rollin (b 16 November
1911; q Leeds 1935), d 6 February 2014.
The mental asylum belongs to a vanished
era. Buildings accommodated up to 2000
patients, for whom treatment possibilities were
severely limited. Supervision was carried out
by untrained “attendants,” and there were few
medical staff. Henry Rollin, who recently died
aged 102, was one of the last to have experienced those days when the medical superintendent was sovereign over his realm, able to
shape and influence every aspect of the lives of
sometimes thousands of people.
The first part of Henry Rollin’s career spanned
the final days of these institutions, firstly at
Caterham, a “mental deficiency” hospital; then
at Cane Hill Hospital, Coulsdon; and finally Horton Hospital, Epsom, where he was consultant
and the deputy medical
superintendent from
1948 until 1975. Horton
was one of five mental
hospitals that the Metropolitan Asylums Board
established in Epsom
towards the end of the
19th century to accommodate 10 000 patients.
When Rollin joined the
staff in 1948, Horton was
being re-established after
its use as an emergency
hospital for war casualties. This provided an
opportunity to introduce
a more enlightened and humane approach to
the care of patients, and to move away from the
prison like conditions that had existed before.
Rollin masterminded the redecoration of the
hospital, changed the drab patient clothing, and
installed comfortable furniture. He also made an
effort to counter the enforced idleness that had
characterised Britain’s mental hospitals before
the second world war. Rollin introduced a broad
range of “occupational therapies.” There were
new workshops, kitchens, and supervision by
qualified therapists, and as many patients as
possible were involved.
Rollin took much pride in these improvements
and later regarded Enoch Powell’s Hospital
Plan of 1962 with considerable misgiving. The
plan anticipated that in 10 years half the existing mental hospitals could be closed and their
functions split between units in general hospiBMJ | 31 MAY 2014 | VOLUME 348
tals and “community care.” Towards the end of
his life his view was unchanged—he felt there
was little evidence that the community did care,
or that the new arrangements worked. Although
there had been much to criticise, the mental hospitals at their best had offered much of value—a
sense of community, companionship, and occupation—which was missing when a patient was
on their own.
Rollin also deeply regretted the damage that
resulted from some of the new physical methods
of treatment—overmedication and use of insulin, the irreversible results of psychosurgery,
and the overenthusiastic use of electroconvulsive therapy.
Henry Ropoport Rollin was born in Scotland
in 1911. His father, Aron, was a Lithuanian cabinet maker and trade unionist, “one of nature’s
scholars,” and a bibliophile who spoke four languages fluently. He moved
his family to Leeds, where
Henry went to medical
school at the age of 16 and
was an indifferent student.
His notable achievement
was as lightweight boxing
champion in 1932-33 of
both Leeds and Northern
universities. He was more
interested in the theatre,
opera, and concert halls
than by his medical studies. He also discovered his
talent for writing, contributing to the BMJ and other
publications. The BMJ
published his autobiography, Festina Lente; a
Psychiatric Odyssey, in its “Memoir” series in
1990.1 Rollin had not considered a career in psychiatry until he found himself appointed, “as a
result of dire necessity,” as a psychiatrist with the
London County Council.
During the second world war he served in the
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and then
completed his MD thesis on aspects of Down’s
syndrome. This was followed by a Fulbright
fellowship to study psychosomatic medicine
in the US.
At Horton Hospital, Rollin was deputy superintendent from 1948 to 1975. He found that he
assessed increasing numbers of offenders with
mental problems, and this kindled a new interest.
His work was rewarded with a research fellowship at Nuffield College, Oxford, with Professor
Nigel Walker, and the publication of a book, The
Rollin deeply regretted the damage
that resulted from some of the new
physical methods of treatment—
overmedication and use of insulin, the
irreversible results of psychosurgery,
and the overenthusiastic use of
electroconvulsive therapy
Mentally Abnormal Offender and the Law.2 He was
elected MRCP in 1976, and FRCP in 1983.
On retirement Rollin was appointed consultant forensic psychiatrist to the Home Office for
the next 10 years. He served on mental health
review tribunals, and he was the second psychiatrist to join the newly created Parole Board.
Rollin was involved in the transformation of
the Royal Medico-Psychological Association to
the Royal College of Psychiatrists, finding funding and helping to establish its first home in Belgrave Square. He became the honorary librarian,
study tours secretary, and a member of council.
A fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, he
was elected an honorary fellow on retirement,
the college’s highest honour. Until his death he
was the obituaries editor of the British Journal
of Psychiatry.
At the age of 62 he married Anna-Maria
T­ihanyi, now a prominent anaesthetist, and they
had two children and three grandchildren, the
first of whom was born on his 100th birthday.
Robert Bluglass, Warwick
[email protected]
References are in the version on bmj.com.
Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g2339
We welcome obituaries for doctors within
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qualifications if applicable, and date and cause
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We regret that we no longer accept obituaries
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25
OBITUARIES
Patrick William Brighten
Eileen, his wife of 63 years, he leaves
a son, a daughter in law, and two
grandchildren.
St John Flaherty
Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g3237
Victor Griffiths
Former consultant anaesthetist
North Devon District Hospital
(b 1938; q St Thomas’ Hospital,
London, 1965; DA, FRCA), died from
bronchopneumonia complicated by
heart failure on 16 January 2014.
Patrick William Brighten was born in
Zimbabwe, where his parents ran a
tobacco farm. He won a scholarship
to St Thomas’ to study medicine.
After a short time working as a
medical officer at a copper mine
in Zimbabwe he returned to the
UK to train in anaesthetics before
being appointed consultant in north
Devon. An independently minded
and resourceful doctor who did not
always do things strictly according
to the book, he established and ran
the first intensive care unit in north
Devon. When he retired to Appledore
in 1998 he immersed himself in
the local community. He leaves five
grandchildren; two daughters; Mary, his
former wife; and Sandy, his soulmate.
Emeritus professor of surgery
University of Malta (b 1920; q Royal
University of Malta 1942; MBE,
UOM, MD, FRCS), d 28 March, 2014.
Victor Griffiths moved to the UK from
Malta on a government scholarship in
1945. He worked with the top surgeons
at Hammersmith Hospital, trained as
a general surgeon, and developed an
interest in thoracic surgery. He returned
to Malta in 1947 and was appointed
consultant surgeon in the local health
service, professor of anatomy in 1953,
and professor of surgery at the Royal
University of Malta in 1969. For many
years he was president of the Malta
Branch of the BMA and was made a
fellow of the BMA. In 1998 Malta’s
government honoured him by making
him an officer of the Order of Merit for
his services to medicine in Malta. He
leaves his wife, Mary, and two children.
Frederick Fenech
Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g3239
Arthur Morgan Jones
Nick O’Donovan
Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g3234
Kevin Andrew Flaherty
Former general practitioner
Huddersfield (b 1913; q University
College, Cork, Ireland, 1938), d 9
April 2014.
Kevin Andrew Flaherty practised briefly
in Liverpool and Manchester before
joining the Royal Army Medical Corps
on the outbreak of the second world
war in 1939. He served as medical
officer to a searchlight battalion in
the blitz in Liverpool. In 1942 he was
sent to India and thence to Burma,
where he was medical officer to an
artillery regiment in William Slim’s 14th
army. He was present at the siege of
Imphal. On demobilisation in 1946,
he returned to England and became a
general practitioner in Huddersfield.
He was in at the birth of the NHS and
served it with distinction until his
retirement in 1975. Predeceased by
26
Former consultant neuroradiologist
Morriston Hospital, Swansea
(b 1920; q Cardiff 1945; DMRD), died
from a stroke on 24 November 2013.
Arthur Morgan Jones trained in
radiology at the Manchester Royal
Infirmary, serving in the Royal Air Force
in 1947. In 1950 he was appointed
to the Cardiff Royal Infirmary and took
further training in neuroradiology
in London and Stockholm, before
starting the neuroradiology service
at Cardiff. In 1955 he moved to the
newly established unit at Morriston,
retiring in 1981. He founded the
school of radiography in 1956 and
was its principal until 1975. During this
era of highly invasive procedures, his
skill in interpretation and meticulous
technique served both his colleagues
and his patients well. He leaves
Rhianwen, his wife of 64 years, a son,
two daughters, four grandchildren, and
two great grandchildren.
Emyr Wyn Jones
Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g3241
Barrie Murphy
Consultant haematologist (b 1932;
q Charing Cross Hospital, London,
1956; DRCOG, FRCPath), d 6 April
2014.
Barrie Murphy was appointed consultant
in Torquay in 1967, taking an active
part in the planning and development
of the new hospital and establishing a
responsive haematology department.
He had a keen interest in the practice
of pathology in relation to healthcare
and became an active member of
the Department of Health’s central
pathology committee, the Association
of Clinical Pathologists, and the World
Association of Societies in Pathology.
His commitment and work for the latter
organisation was recognised in his
election to the office of president of the
World Pathology Foundation, which he
held from 1998 to 2007. Away from
work he relaxed on his treasured boat,
often crossing the Channel to enjoy the
delights of the French coast. He leaves
his wife, Christine; four children; and six
grandchildren.
John Burston
Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g3240
Colin Lunn Smith
Former consultant physician and
senior lecturer Southampton
University Hospitals (b 1938; q Leeds
1962; BSc, MD, FRCP, FMedSci), died
from prostate cancer 4 June 2013.
In 1975 Colin Lunn Smith was
appointed senior lecturer in medicine
and honorary consultant with an
interest in gastroenterology. He
became a member of the BMA’s
medical academic staff committee
in 1980 and was its chairman and a
member of Council for 20 years, until
2003. Under his leadership, awareness
of academic medicine was raised and
continued pay parity with the NHS was
ensured for clinical academic staff. He
worked for the BMJ Publishing Group
as a member of the journal committee
and deputy chairman of the board. He
was awarded the association medal
in 2004 and was an elected fellow of
the Academy of Medical Sciences. In
retirement, he was an adviser with the
National Clinical Assessment Authority.
He leaves his wife, Lorraine; two
daughters; and three granddaughters.
Peter Dangerfield, Charles George,
Katie Smith
Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g3362
Aldo Vacca
Consultant obstetrician, associate
professor, senior specialist
obstetrician and gynaecologist
(b 1941; q Queensland University
1965; FRACOG, FRCOG, GCEd),
died from gastric cancer on
16 March 2014.
Aldo Vacca worked in Papua New
Guinea for eight years, during
which time he assisted with the
supervision and review of the maternal
death register, which included an
investigation into the causes of
all reported maternal deaths. He
focused on improving the teaching
and training of vacuum extraction
and published extensively on the
subject. In the 1970s he worked in
the UK and conducted the famous
Portsmouth vacuum trial. In 2005
he joined Northwick Park Hospital,
to teach and train, and to improve
maternity services. Aldo developed a
hand held vacuum device that is in use
all over the world. He also produced a
handbook, video, CD, and web based
resource to teach vacuum delivery. In
2013 he was diagnosed with gastric
cancer. He leaves his wife, Janet.
Sabaratnam Arulkumaran
Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g3242
BMJ | 31 MAY 2014 | VOLUME 348