Margaret Rigsby Becklake, (May 27, 1922 – October 17, 2018) was a Canadian academic and

epidemiologist Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and risk factor, determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population. It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decision ...

. Margaret focused her career on the study of environmental and occupational determinants of childhood and adult airway disease, specifically the lung health of asbestos miners and millers. Born in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, Becklake grew up in

Pretoria Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa. Pretoria straddles the Apies River and extends ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

, and received an MB and BCh degree in 1944 from the

University of the Witwatersrand The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (), is a multi-campus South African Public university, public research university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University or Wits ( o ...

. She interned at the

Johannesburg General Hospital The Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital is an accredited general hospital in Parktown, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. Size and capability The main structure was opened in 1979. The facility has 1,088 usable beds. The hospital's ...

and did postgraduate studies at the

British Postgraduate Medical School The Royal Postgraduate Medical School (RPMS) was an independent medical school, based primarily at Hammersmith Hospital in west London. In 1988, the school merged with the Institute of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and in 1997 became part of Imperial ...

. In 1950, she became a Junior Lecturer in Medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand where she studied the effects of dust inhalation on workers in the gold mines. In 1957, she emigrated to

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

, where she worked in the Department of Medicine at the Royal Victoria Hospital; she received an academic appointment in the Department of Epidemiology and Health at

McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...

, where she retired as an emeritus professor. In 2007, she was made a Member of the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the ...

in recognition for having made "outstanding contributions to fighting lung disease through research and education for more than 60 years". In 2011, she was made a Grand Officer of the

National Order of Quebec The National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as ''l'Ordre national du Québec'', and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is an order of merit in the Canadian province of Quebec. Instituted in 1984 when Lieutenant Gove ...

. She died at home on October 17, 2018. The Montreal Chest Institute Foundation started the Dr. Margaret Becklake Fellowship to honour her memory. The Fellowship pays a salary to trainees in respiratory research who come from a low- or middle-income country and/or Canadian indigenous community.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Becklake, Margaret 1922 births 2018 deaths Canadian medical researchers Canadian women epidemiologists Grand Officers of the National Order of Quebec Members of the Order of Canada McGill University faculty People from Pretoria University of the Witwatersrand alumni British expatriates in South Africa British emigrants to Canada