Geoffrey Jefferson
Encyclopedia
Sir Geoffrey Jefferson FRS (1886–1961) was a British neurologist
and pioneering neurosurgeon. He was educated in Manchester
, England
, obtaining his medical degree in 1909. He became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons
two years later. He married in 1914, and moved to Canada
. On the outbreak of World War I
, he returned to Europe
and worked at the Anglo-Russian Hospital in Petrograd, Russia
, and then with the Royal Army Medical Corps
in France
.
After the war, he returned to Manchester, working at the Salford Royal Hospital. It was here, in 1925 that Jefferson performed the first successful embolectomy
in England. By 1934, he was a neurosurgeon at the Manchester Royal Infirmary
, becoming the UK's first professor of neurosurgery at the University of Manchester
five years later. The Jefferson fracture
, which he was the first to describe, was named after him. Manchester Royal Infirmary
also honours Jefferson with the Jefferson Suite, a training area in their Medical Education Campus.
Jefferson was elected a fellow of the Royal Society
in 1947. He was awarded the Lister Medal in 1948 for his contributions to surgical science. The corresponding Lister Oration, given at the Royal College of Surgeons of England
, was not delivered until 1949, and was titled 'The Mind of Mechanical Man'. The subject of this lecture was the Manchester Mark 1
, one of the earliest electronic computers, and Jefferson's lecture formed part of the early debate over the possibility of artificial intelligence
.
Neurologist
A neurologist is a physician who specializes in neurology, and is trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders.Neurology is the medical specialty related to the human nervous system. The nervous system encompasses the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. A specialist...
and pioneering neurosurgeon. He was educated in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, obtaining his medical degree in 1909. He became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons is a professional qualification to practise as a surgeon in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland...
two years later. He married in 1914, and moved to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. On the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he returned to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and worked at the Anglo-Russian Hospital in Petrograd, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and then with the Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
After the war, he returned to Manchester, working at the Salford Royal Hospital. It was here, in 1925 that Jefferson performed the first successful embolectomy
Embolectomy
Embolectomy is the emergency surgical removal of emboli which are blocking blood circulation. It usually involves removal of thrombi , and is then referred to as thrombectomy. Embolectomy is an emergency procedure often as the last resort because permanent occlusion of a significant blood flow to...
in England. By 1934, he was a neurosurgeon at the Manchester Royal Infirmary
Manchester Royal Infirmary
The Manchester Royal Infirmary is a hospital in Manchester, England which was founded by Charles White in 1752 as a cottage hospital capable of caring for twelve patients. Manchester Royal Infirmary is part of a larger NHS Trust incorporating several hospitals called Central Manchester University...
, becoming the UK's first professor of neurosurgery at the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
five years later. The Jefferson fracture
Jefferson fracture
A Jefferson fracture is a bone fracture of the anterior and posterior arches of the C1 vertebra, though it may also appear as a three or two part fracture...
, which he was the first to describe, was named after him. Manchester Royal Infirmary
Manchester Royal Infirmary
The Manchester Royal Infirmary is a hospital in Manchester, England which was founded by Charles White in 1752 as a cottage hospital capable of caring for twelve patients. Manchester Royal Infirmary is part of a larger NHS Trust incorporating several hospitals called Central Manchester University...
also honours Jefferson with the Jefferson Suite, a training area in their Medical Education Campus.
Jefferson was elected a fellow 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"...
in 1947. He was awarded the Lister Medal in 1948 for his contributions to surgical science. The corresponding Lister Oration, given at the Royal College of Surgeons of England
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
, was not delivered until 1949, and was titled 'The Mind of Mechanical Man'. The subject of this lecture was the Manchester Mark 1
Manchester Mark 1
The Manchester Mark 1 was one of the earliest stored-program computers, developed at the Victoria University of Manchester from the Small-Scale Experimental Machine or "Baby" . It was also called the Manchester Automatic Digital Machine, or MADM...
, one of the earliest electronic computers, and Jefferson's lecture formed part of the early debate over the possibility of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
.
Sources
- So That Was Life: A Biography of Sir Geoffrey Jefferson, Master of the Neurosciences and Man of Letters, Peter H. Schurr, Royal Society of Medicine Press, 1997
External links
- Sir Geoffrey Jefferson, MD, biography from The Society Of Neurological Surgeons
- Sir Geoffrey Jefferson, biography from Who Named It?
- Articles relating to Geoffrey Jefferson, from Unbound MEDLINEMEDLINEMEDLINE is a bibliographic database of life sciences and biomedical information. It includes bibliographic information for articles from academic journals covering medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and health care...