Geoffrey Tovey
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Harold Tovey CBE CBE, MD, FRCP, FRCPath, (May 29, 1916 - 19 December 2001) was a doctor whose scientific contributions in the field of haematology brought him an international reputation. He was also an expert in serology and founder and Director of the UK Transplant Service.
, Somerset
. His mother died of acute pneumonia when Geoffrey was a child. After his mother's death, he attended Wycliffe College
school, then Bristol University.
. He was then appointed House Physician at the Bristol Royal Infirmary
, where he met his wife Margaret, a nurse. During the Second World War, he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps
and was posted to the Army Blood Transfusion Service in Poona, India
After the war he returned to the Blood Transfusion Service unit at Southmead Hospital
, Bristol
. That year he was appointed Director of the South West Regional Blood Transfusion Service. He was to hold this post from 1946 to 1978
He was one of the first surgeons regularly to perform intrauterine blood transfusions on unborn babies. In 1959 he advocated the induction of birth at 36 weeks' pregnancy to prevent stillbirth in babies affected by Rhesus Haemolytic Disease; this subsequently saved many lives.
He performed early work on the typing of red cells and their antigens, white blood cells (Human Lymphocyte Antigens or HLAs), and the transfusion of platelets and later stem cells in the treatment of leukaemia.
He collaborated with transplant surgeons such as Christiaan Barnard
, Michael De Bakey and Sir Roy Calne. He also appeared as an expert witness in a paternity case involving Cary Grant
. He was also secretly consulted when the Shah of Iran was dying of leukaemia. He was appointed by the World Health Organisation to advise countries around the world on the development of safe blood stocks. With the American firm, Technicon, he helped to develop the first automated blood grouping machines.
In 1972 he founded and became the director of the UK Transplant Service. He was also president of the International Society of Blood Transfusion
.
He was Consultant Adviser on Blood Transfusion at the Department of Health and Social Security from 1979 to 1981.
Childhood and early life
Geoffrey Harold Tovey was born on May 29, 1916 at Midsomer NortonMidsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and south-east of Bristol. It has a population of 10,458. Along with Radstock and Westfield it used to be part of the conurbation and large civil parish of Norton...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. His mother died of acute pneumonia when Geoffrey was a child. After his mother's death, he attended Wycliffe College
Wycliffe College (Gloucestershire)
Wycliffe College is a co-educational independent school located in the town of Stonehouse in Gloucestershire, in the West of England. The school was founded in 1882 by GW Sibly, and comprises a Nursery School for ages 2 – 4, a Preparatory School for ages 4 – 13, and a Senior School catering for...
school, then Bristol University.
Career
For a short while he worked as a GP in BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. He was then appointed House Physician at the Bristol Royal Infirmary
Bristol Royal Infirmary
The Bristol Royal Infirmary, also known as the BRI, is a large teaching hospital situated in the centre of Bristol, England. It has links with the medical faculty of the nearby University of Bristol, and the Faculty of Health and Social Care at the University of the West of England, also in...
, where he met his wife Margaret, a nurse. During the Second World War, he joined 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...
and was posted to the Army Blood Transfusion Service in Poona, India
After the war he returned to the Blood Transfusion Service unit at Southmead Hospital
Southmead Hospital
Southmead Hospital is a large hospital, situated in the northern suburbs of Bristol, England, part of the North Bristol NHS Trust.The hospital opened in 1902 as a 64 bed workhouse for poor sick people. By 1911 there were 520 beds....
, Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. That year he was appointed Director of the South West Regional Blood Transfusion Service. He was to hold this post from 1946 to 1978
He was one of the first surgeons regularly to perform intrauterine blood transfusions on unborn babies. In 1959 he advocated the induction of birth at 36 weeks' pregnancy to prevent stillbirth in babies affected by Rhesus Haemolytic Disease; this subsequently saved many lives.
He performed early work on the typing of red cells and their antigens, white blood cells (Human Lymphocyte Antigens or HLAs), and the transfusion of platelets and later stem cells in the treatment of leukaemia.
He collaborated with transplant surgeons such as Christiaan Barnard
Christiaan Barnard
Christiaan Neethling Barnard was a South African cardiac surgeon who performed the world's first successful human-to-human heart transplant.- Early life :...
, Michael De Bakey and Sir Roy Calne. He also appeared as an expert witness in a paternity case involving Cary Grant
Cary Grant
Archibald Alexander Leach , better known by his stage name Cary Grant, was an English actor who later took U.S. citizenship...
. He was also secretly consulted when the Shah of Iran was dying of leukaemia. He was appointed by the World Health Organisation to advise countries around the world on the development of safe blood stocks. With the American firm, Technicon, he helped to develop the first automated blood grouping machines.
In 1972 he founded and became the director of the UK Transplant Service. He was also president of the International Society of Blood Transfusion
International Society of Blood Transfusion
The International Society of Blood Transfusion , is a scientific society, founded in 1935, which aims to promote the study of blood transfusion, and to spread the know-how about the manner in which blood transfusion medicine and science best can serve the patient's interests. The society's central...
.
He was Consultant Adviser on Blood Transfusion at the Department of Health and Social Security from 1979 to 1981.
Publications
He was the co-author of 70 papers between 1944 and 1978 and also published Techniques of fluid balance: Principles and management of water and electrolyte therapy (1957).Honours
- He was appointed CBE in 1977.
- The Geoffrey Tovey Academic Centre at Bristol University commemorates him.
- President of the International Society of Blood Transfusion from 1973 to 1976.