Arthur Mourant
Encyclopedia
Arthur Ernest Mourant FRS (April 11, 1904 – August 29, 1994) was a British chemist
, hematologist
and geneticist
who pioneered research into biological anthropology and its distribution, genetics, clinical and laboratory medicine, and geology.
Mourant graduated from the University of Oxford
with honours in chemistry and a Doctor of Philosophy
in geology in 1931. He was an early advocate of the then discredited Wegener
theory of continental drift
, which subsequently gained acceptabtability as plate tectonics
. When he left Oxford he failed to find a position in his chosen discipline and returned to his childhood home of Jersey, where he set up a pathology
laboratory.
He later studied medicine and surgery at St Bartholomew's
Medical College, London, joining the Galton Laboratory
Serum Unit in 1946 and then founding the Blood Group Reference Laboratory in London, where he was director for 20 years.
He pioneered a study of hematology of the worldwide distribution of blood groups. This work help build the genetic map of the world by studying and classifying blood groups across many populations and ethnic groups. His book, The Distribution of the Human Blood Groups, definitively drew together current knowledge on blood groups and their distribution.
It launched anthropology
on a new scientific basis as it described the genetic
evidence for biological relationships, and allowed theories of population genetics to be developed and examined. This had far-reaching effects on medicine, research into genetic diseases, blood transfusion, and public health.
Mourant also studied the new blood group antigens of the Lewis
, Henshaw, Kell
, and Rhesus systems, biological polymorphisms
, and animal serological
characteristics for fish stocks and cattle breeds.
Amongst his many honours and recognitions, he gained a Fellowship of the Royal Society
, the Huxley Memorial Medal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, Landsteiner Memorial Award of the American Association of Blood Banks and honorary member of the Human Biology Council.
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
, hematologist
Hematology
Hematology, also spelled haematology , is the branch of biology physiology, internal medicine, pathology, clinical laboratory work, and pediatrics that is concerned with the study of blood, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases...
and geneticist
Geneticist
A geneticist is a biologist who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a researcher or lecturer. Some geneticists perform experiments and analyze data to interpret the inheritance of skills. A geneticist is also a Consultant or...
who pioneered research into biological anthropology and its distribution, genetics, clinical and laboratory medicine, and geology.
Mourant graduated from the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
with honours in chemistry and a Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in geology in 1931. He was an early advocate of the then discredited Wegener
Alfred Wegener
Alfred Lothar Wegener was a German scientist, geophysicist, and meteorologist.He is most notable for his theory of continental drift , proposed in 1912, which hypothesized that the continents were slowly drifting around the Earth...
theory of continental drift
Continental drift
Continental drift is the movement of the Earth's continents relative to each other. The hypothesis that continents 'drift' was first put forward by Abraham Ortelius in 1596 and was fully developed by Alfred Wegener in 1912...
, which subsequently gained acceptabtability as plate tectonics
Plate tectonics
Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large scale motions of Earth's lithosphere...
. When he left Oxford he failed to find a position in his chosen discipline and returned to his childhood home of Jersey, where he set up a pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
laboratory.
He later studied medicine and surgery at St Bartholomew's
St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, also known as Barts, is a hospital in Smithfield in the City of London, England.-Early history:It was founded in 1123 by Raherus or Rahere , a favourite courtier of King Henry I...
Medical College, London, joining the Galton Laboratory
Galton Laboratory
The Galton Laboratory, was a laboratory for research into human genetics based at University College London in London, United Kingdom. It was originally established in 1904, and became part of UCL's biology department in 1996....
Serum Unit in 1946 and then founding the Blood Group Reference Laboratory in London, where he was director for 20 years.
He pioneered a study of hematology of the worldwide distribution of blood groups. This work help build the genetic map of the world by studying and classifying blood groups across many populations and ethnic groups. His book, The Distribution of the Human Blood Groups, definitively drew together current knowledge on blood groups and their distribution.
It launched anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
on a new scientific basis as it described the genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
evidence for biological relationships, and allowed theories of population genetics to be developed and examined. This had far-reaching effects on medicine, research into genetic diseases, blood transfusion, and public health.
Mourant also studied the new blood group antigens of the Lewis
Lewis antigen system
The Lewis antigen system is a human blood group system based upon genes on chromosome 19 q13.3, and 19p13.3 , which both have fucosyltransferase activity. There are two main types of Lewis antigens, Lewis a and Lewis b. They are red cell antigens which are not produced by the erythrocyte itself...
, Henshaw, Kell
Kell antigen system
The Kell antigen system is a group of antigens on the human red blood cell surface which are important determinants of blood type and are targets for autoimmune or alloimmune diseases which destroy red blood cells. Kell can be noted as K, k, or Kp...
, and Rhesus systems, biological polymorphisms
Polymorphism (biology)
Polymorphism in biology occurs when two or more clearly different phenotypes exist in the same population of a species — in other words, the occurrence of more than one form or morph...
, and animal serological
Serology
Serology is the scientific study of blood serum and other bodily fluids. In practice, the term usually refers to the diagnostic identification of antibodies in the serum...
characteristics for fish stocks and cattle breeds.
Amongst his many honours and recognitions, he gained a Fellowship of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, the Huxley Memorial Medal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, Landsteiner Memorial Award of the American Association of Blood Banks and honorary member of the Human Biology Council.