Bryan Nicholas Brooke MD, M.Chir., (21 February 1915 – 18 September 1998) was a British surgeon and pioneer of surgery for

ulcerative colitis Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a long-term condition that results in inflammation and ulcers of the colon and rectum. The primary symptoms of active disease are abdominal pain and diarrhea mixed with blood (hematochezia). Weight loss, fever, and a ...

Biography

The son of numismatist George C. Brooke, after education at

Bradfield College Bradfield College, formally St Andrew's College, Bradfield, is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) for pupils aged 11–18, located in the small village of Bradfield in the English county of Berkshire. It is note ...

, he matriculated at

Corpus Christi College, Cambridge Corpus Christi College (full name: "The College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary", often shortened to "Corpus"), is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. From the late 14th century through to the early 19th century ...

, where he graduated BA in 1936. After clinical training at

St Bartholomew's Hospital St Bartholomew's Hospital, commonly known as Barts, is a teaching hospital located in the City of London. It was founded in 1123 and is currently run by Barts Health NHS Trust. History Early history Barts was founded in 1123 by Rahere (died ...

, he qualified MRCS in 1939 and graduated

MB BChir Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United Kin ...

in 1940 and MChir in 1944 from the University of Cambridge. He was elected FRCS in 1942 and was chief surgical assistant at St Bartholomew's Hospital. In 1944 he joined the

RAMC The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps a ...

and served as a lieutenant colonel in charge of a surgical division. After demobilisation, Brooke spent a year as a senior lecturer in Aberdeen. He joined in 1947 the new professorial surgical unit headed by Alan Stammers at

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham is a major, 1,215 bed, tertiary NHS and military hospital in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, situated very close to the University of Birmingham. The hospital, which cost £545 million to construct ...

. There, Lionel Hardy, (William) Trevor Cooke, and Clifford Hawkins were keenly interested in testing the newly introduced adherent Koening-Rutzen bag for potential ileostomy patients. He received the higher MD from the University of Birmingham in 1954. He was appointed in 1963 the first professor of surgery at

St George's Hospital St George's Hospital is a large teaching hospital in Tooting, London. Founded in 1733, it is one of the UK's largest teaching hospitals and one of the largest hospitals in Europe. It is run by the St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundatio ...

and held that post until 1976.

Selected publications

Articles

* (See

Trendelenburg position In the Trendelenburg position, the body is lain supine, or flat on the back on a 15–30 degree incline with the feet elevated above the head. The reverse Trendelenburg position, similarly, places the body supine on an incline but with the head ...

.) * * * * *

Books

* *with Geoffrey Slaney: * *as editor with Andrew W. Wilkinson: *

References

1915 births 1998 deaths English surgeons 20th-century English medical doctors People educated at Radley College Alumni of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge Alumni of the Medical College of St Bartholomew's Hospital Academics of the University of Birmingham Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of England Royal Army Medical Corps officers 20th-century surgeons {{UK-med-bio-stub