Dr Hugh John Vivian Morton
Personal details
Dr Hugh John Vivian Morton MA MD FFARCS MRCS LRCP DA
10/10/1909 to 28/10/1981
Place of birth: Stafford, England
Nationality: British
CRN: 715391
Also known as: John
Education and qualifications
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General education |
King Edward’s School, Stafford; Peterhouse College, Cambridge; St Thomas’s Hospital Medical School, London |
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Primary medical qualification(s) |
MRCS LRCP, 1933 |
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Initial Fellowship and type |
FFARCS by Election |
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Year of Fellowship |
1948 |
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Other qualification(s) |
BA, Cambridge, 1930 (MA, 1935); MBBCh, Cambridge, 1935; DA(RCP&S), 1937; MD, Cambridge, 1942 (Thesis: A contribution to the study of postoperative pulmonary complications). |
Professional life and career
Postgraduate career
Early appointments included house surgeon, Royal Victoria Hospital, Bournemouth, and both house physician and resident anaesthetist at Royal South Hampshire Hospital, Southampton, but he spent the rest of his career at Hillingdon Hospital, Uxbridge, being one of the very few whole-time salaried anaesthetists of that time. He retired circa 1974.
Professional interests and activities
Although he does not seem ever to have held a University appointment, resisting entreaties to apply for such, Morton (through his clinical, teaching and research activities) must be considered one of the leading academic anaesthetists of his time. An excellent clinician, he taught well (from first principles) and researched widely, being one of the first to take physiological studies into the operating theatre. In the 20 years after WW2, at a time when anaesthesia was developing rapidly, he made many important contributions to the literature (drawing attention to the impact of smoking on post-operative complications as early as 1944). Few UK anaesthetists of the time failed to visit Hillingdon, and many from Europe did so also, his popularity enhanced by his knowledge of foreign languages. He made significant contributions to the organisations of the specialty: AAGBI, honorary secretary; FARCS, vice-Dean; and president, Anaesthetic Section of the RSM. He could have led the other two organisations as well, but declined on the grounds that they would take him away from his hospital and full time practice, his modesty perhaps also being a factor. He gave the Hewitt Lecture in 1954.
Other biographical information
A devoted family man, he was married to Margaret (nee James) and they had two children, his chief relaxation being mountain climbing, every summer holiday being spent in the Alps. He had a remarkable memory, able to recite lengthy tracts of German poetry, and accompany himself on the piano while singing old German songs.
Author and Sources
Author: Prof Tony Wildsmith
Sources and any other comments: Obituary. BMJ 1982; 284: 988 | Medical Directory | Ancestry.co,uk | Archives of Peterhouse College, Cambridge and Cambridge University Library.