John Walker-Smith: the father of European paediatric gastroenterology

• The rapid development of paediatrics during the latter half of the 20th century led to organ‐specific subspecialities being established. One of these was paediatric gastroenterology, which was pioneered by enthusiasts at university departments during the 1960s and 1970s 1, 2. In 1975, the first two European paediatric gastroenterology textbooks appeared in English – ‘Paediatric Gastroenterology’ – edited by Charlotte Anderson and Valerie Burke and – ‘Diseases of the Small Intestine in Childhood’ – by John Walker‐Smith 3. Charlotte Anderson (1915–2002) was professor of paediatrics and child health and director of the Institute of Child Health at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. Dr John Walker‐Smith (Fig. 1) was a London‐based consultant paediatrician and senior lecturer at the Medical College of St. Bartholomew′s Hospital (Barts) and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children and later professor of paediatric gastroenterology at the Royal Free School of Medicine and Royal Free Hospital. He is now an emeritus professor. If we consider Charlotte Anderson to be the mother of European Paediatric Gastroenterology, then John Walker‐Smith is certainly the father....

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MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine (hsv//eng)

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