Ian Whimster

Ian Whimster
MRCPath
Born Ian Wesley Whimster
1924
Died 18 January 1979 (aged 55)
Nationality British
Occupation Pathologist
Medical career
Institutions St Thomas' Hospital
Specialism Dermatology histopathology

Ian Wesley Whimster MRCPath (1924 – 18 January 1979) was a reader of dermatology histopathology at St Thomas' Hospital, London, who gained international recognition for his study of comparative anatomy and experiments with reptiles, particularly observing their colour patterns in relation to their nerve supply.

He was part of the medical team that went into Bergen-Belsen concentration camp after the Germans had left. On return, he made numerous contributions to dermatology, including the definition of keratoacanthoma, the distinction between pemphigus and pemphigoid and descriptions of melanocytes and malignant melanoma.

He died in a road traffic accident at the age of 55.

Early life

Ian Whimster was born in 1924. He was educated at Lancing College, followed by Clare College, University of Cambridge, before gaining admission to St Thomas' Hospital medical school and then completing his MB in 1946. His early appointments were at St Thomas's where he also developed his interest in dermatology.[1][2][3]

Career

During his junior years, he was part of the medical team that went into Bergen-Belsen concentration camp after the Germans had left.[1] With the encouragement and support from Geoffrey Dowling, he developed an interest in the skin and Whimster soon became closely associated with Arthur Rook,[2] working on the histopathology of keratoacanthoma[2] and the distinction between the bullous diseases pemphigoid and pemphigus.[2][4]

He gained international recognition for his work on comparative anatomy and experiments with reptiles, particularly observing their colour patterns in relation to their nerve supply.[4] His observations on humans and reptiles formed the basis of his classic papers on spottiness.[4] He became adept at breeding small reptiles for his experiments and devoted to their care.[1]

His statement that "some invisible intersegmental boundaries, whose existence we have been taught to expect by comparative anatomy and embryology, are only revealed by disease"[5] stemmed from his interest in the causes of linear or sharply demarcated rashes unexplained by external stimuli.[5]

His observations in the 1950s, of increased capillary loops next to a venous ulcer, as examined under the microscope, later facilitated the correlation between venous hypertension and venous ulceration.[6]

He was also a leading authority on the melanocyte and an expert in malignant melanoma.[4] In addition, he collaborated with Hugh Wallace and studied vulval leukoplakia.[2]

Whimster often suffered from severe depression which caused his research to stall. One of his obituary writers commented on the lasting impression that his experience at Belsen had left on him.[1]

Death and legacy

Whimster died in a road traffic accident on 18 January 1979 at the age of 55.[1][4]

Since 1984, the British Association of Dermatologists has awarded the Whimster prize,[7] which is presented every three years.[8]

Selected publications

  • “Comparative Study of the Mosaic-like Structure of the Skin and its relation to Cutaneous Innervation”, Arch Belg Dermatol Syphiligr. December 1963, French. PMID 14176953.
  • "Nerve supply as a stimulator of the growth of tissues, including skin", British Journal of Dermatology, July 1976, PMID 1276077, pp.
  • "Nerve supply as a stimulator of the growth of tissues including skin: I. Human evidence",Clinical Experimental Dermatology, September 1978, PMID 737869, pp. 221–40.
  • "Nerve Supply as a Stimulator of the Growth of tissues including skin: II animal evidence", Clinical Experimental Dermatology, December 1978, PMID 737883, pp. 389–410.
  • “Keratoacanthoma--a thirty year retrospect”, co-authored with Arthur Rook, British Journal of Dermatology, January 1979, PMID 427012, pp. 41–7.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Obituary". British Medical Journal. 1 (6171): 1156–1157. 28 April 1979. doi:10.1136/bmj.1.6171.1156. ISSN 0007-1447.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "British Association of Dermatologists - WW2 and its Aftermath". www.bad.org.uk. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  3. ↑ "British Association of Dermatologists - Maturation of the BAD". www.bad.org.uk. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Tribute to Ian Whimster" by Hugh Wallace, The American Journal of Dermatopathology, 1985, Vol. 7, pp. A7-A8.
  5. 1 2 Burge, Susan; Matin, Rubeta; Wallis, Dinny (2016). Oxford Handbook of Medical Dermatology. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780191065132.
  6. ↑ Gloviczki, Peter; Bergan, John (2012). Atlas of Endoscopic Perforator Vein Surgery. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9781447115298.
  7. ↑ "News and Notices". British Journal of Dermatology. 110 (2): 255–256. February 1984. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.1984.tb07483.x. ISSN 0007-0963.
  8. ↑ "British Association of Dermatologists - Fellowships and Awards". www.bad.org.uk. Retrieved 8 September 2018.

Further reading

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