James J. Mason Brown (1908-1964)
ED.CS.2010.42
James J. Mason Brown OBE (1908-1964), Fellow 1934, President 1962-1964
Oil on canvas, c.1955, by Alfred Edward Borthwick
James Mason Brown was born in St Andrews and educated at Edinburgh Academy and Edinburgh University. As a schoolboy, he developed appendicitis with peritonitis and was under the care of John, later Sir John, Fraser, an experience which was to shape his interests and future career.
He graduated with Honours in 1931 gaining the Pattison prize in clinical surgery. After holding resident appointments at the Royal Infirmary and the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, he became clinical tutor first to Mr T.McW. Millar and then to John Fraser. In 1936 he was appointed honorary assistant surgeon to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children where he worked with Miss Gertrude Herzfeld.
During World War II he served as surgical specialist and officer in charge of the Surgical Division of General Hospitals in Africa and Italy and was in charge of the Field Vascular Injuries Centre.
He returned to Edinburgh in 1946, becoming surgeon in charge at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, paediatric surgeon at the Western General Hospital and the Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion and Reader in paediatric surgery at Edinburgh University.
Brown was Secretary and Treasurer of the College from 1949 to 1954, Treasurer 1954-1962 and President from 1962 until his death. He was elected President of the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons for 1964-1965.
He was deeply interested in all aspects of paediatric surgery but especially in neonatal diseases and injuries on which he wrote extensively.
Twentieth century
