Sir John Alexander Charles (26 July 1893 – 6 April 1971) was the tenth

Chief Medical Officer Chief medical officer (CMO) is the title used in many countries for the senior government official designated head of medical services, sometimes at the national level. The post is held by a physician who serves to advise and lead a team of medical ...

of the Home Office of the United Kingdom.

Life

Charles was the son of John Charles, a physician and JP who practised medicine in

Stanley, County Durham Stanley is a former colliery town and civil parish in County Durham, North East England. Centred on a hilltop between Chester-le-Street and Consett, the town lies south west of Gateshead. Stanley was formerly divided into three distinct set ...

. His mother was Margaret Dewar. Charles's early education was taken at

St Bees School , motto_translation = Enter so that you may make progress , established = (reformed 2015–2018) , type = Public schoolIndependent day and boarding , religious_affiliation = Church of England , president = , head_label ...

, and then the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. In 1916, Charles qualified in medicine at Durham University College of Medicine. In 1925, Charles took a Diploma in Public Health at

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. In 1947, Charles married Madeleine Frances, who was the eldest daughter of

William Errington Hume Sir William Errington Hume (14 July 1879, Newcastle-on-Tyne – 1 January 1960) was a British physician and cardiologist. Biography After education at Repton, William Errington Hume matriculated in October 1897 at Pembroke College, Cambridge a ...

(1879–1960), Professor Emeritus of Medicine in the

Durham University , mottoeng = Her foundations are upon the holy hills (Psalm 87:1) , established = (university status) , type = Public , academic_staff = 1,830 (2020) , administrative_staff = 2,640 (2018/19) , chancellor = Sir Thomas Allen , vice_chan ...

, and had a son and daughter.

Career

During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, Charles worked in

Royal Army Medical Corps 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 was promoted to the rank of Captain and 1917, he posted to France, Belgium and later Italy. After the war, Charles worked with the

British Army of the Rhine There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War and the other after the Second World War. Both formations had areas of responsibility located a ...

from when it initially established March 1919 to 1924. Charles was appointed Assistant

Medical Officer of Health A medical officer of health, also known as a medical health officer, chief health officer, chief public health officer or district medical officer, is the title commonly used for the senior government official of a health department, usually at a m ...

for

Newcastle Upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...

in 1928, becoming a

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...

officer at the City Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Newcastle Upon Tyne. Charles later became an assistant medical officer of health for the county of

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated Wilts) is a historic and ceremonial county in South West England with an area of . It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset to the southwest, Somerset to the west, Hampshire to the southeast, Gloucestershire ...

. Charles returned to Newcastle in City Hospital for Infectious Diseases in 1928, being promoted to medical officer for health in 1932. Charles moved to London in 1944 as Deputy Chief Medical Officer where he assisted with the planning of the

National Health Service The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...

. Charles was appointed Chief Medical Officer in 1950 and retired in 1960. He devoted considerable attention to the development of the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...

for which he continued to work after his retirement.

Contributions

When Charles succeeded Jameson in 1950, he became the first CMO to be appointed to the Home Office as well as the Ministry of Health and

Department for Education The Department for Education (DfE) is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for child protection, child services, education (compulsory, further and higher education), apprenticeships and wider skills in England. A Department ...

. He encountered a greater range of medical work than his predecessors had experienced, and a much more rapid combined integration of scientific and medical research. It has been suggested that Charles was kept in his post as CMO due to him being content with the Ministry's weak stance on smoking. He should have retired aged 65 in 1958 under civil service rules. Charles had a particular focus on the

(WHO) and was Chairman of board during 1957 to 1958. In 1959 he was President of the Twelfth

World Health Assembly The World Health Assembly (WHA) is the forum through which the World Health Organization (WHO) is governed by its 194 member states. It is the world's highest health policy setting body and is composed of health ministers from member states. T ...

and Chairman of the Fourth Expert Committee on Public Health Administration in 1960. After Charles retired, he was appointed as a senior advisor to the WHO secretariat in

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

, a position Charles held almost until his death in 1971. While in Geneva, he worked on the preparation and publication of the second and third editions World Health Situation Reports.

Honours and awards

In 1962, he received the

Léon Bernard Foundation Prize World Health Organization Prizes and Awards are given to recognise major achievements in public health. The candidates are nominated and recommended by each prize and award selection panel. The WHO Executive Board selects the winners, which are pre ...

of World Health Organization for his contributions to medicine. In 1970, he was selected as the second

Jacques Parisot Foundation Fellowship World Health Organization Prizes and Awards are given to recognise major achievements in public health. The candidates are nominated and recommended by each prize and award selection panel. The WHO Executive Board selects the winners, which are pre ...

Lecturer to the

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Charles, John Chief Medical Officers for England 1893 births 1971 deaths English justices of the peace Alumni of Durham University College of Medicine Academics of Durham University People educated at St Bees School Knights Bachelor Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath People from Consett Léon Bernard Foundation Prize laureates