Nora Wattie (1900–1994)

MBChB 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 King ...

(

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

), DPH (

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

) was a pioneer of

social medicine The field of social medicine seeks to implement social care through # understanding how social and economic conditions impact health, disease and the practice of medicine and # fostering conditions in which this understanding can lead to a health ...

, setting up

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

’s internationally renowned ante-natal care service (both before and after the creation 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 " ...

). Throughout her career, Wattie was modernising and innovating; initially treating the suffering of women and their babies who were infected with

sexually transmitted diseases Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the older term venereal diseases, are infections that are spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, and oral sex ...

by husbands returning home after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, later eliminating

diphtheria Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Corynebacterium diphtheriae''. Most infections are asymptomatic or have a mild clinical course, but in some outbreaks more than 10% of those diagnosed with the disease may die. Signs and s ...

through a city-wide chain of clinics. For thirty years, Wattie worked on improving women's and children's physical and mental health in the

slum A slum is a highly populated urban residential area consisting of densely packed housing units of weak build quality and often associated with poverty. The infrastructure in slums is often deteriorated or incomplete, and they are primarily inh ...

s of Glasgow, influencing the medical profession and advising government. After her retirement, Wattie offered health education to future parents at schools and colleges. In 1964, Wattie was awarded the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

for services to

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

, and declared ''Scotswoman of the Year'' by the ''

Glasgow Evening Times The ''Glasgow Times'' is an evening tabloid newspaper published Monday to Saturday in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. Called ''The Evening Times'' from 1876, it was rebranded as the ''Glasgow Times'' on 4 December 2019.

Early life and education

Born Nora Isabel Wattie on 30 May 1899 at 12 Inverleith Gardens,

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, she was one of the four daughters of Catherine Carne Wattie née Diack and James Macpherson Wattie (1862–1943), an H.M. Inspector of Schools, member of the

Edinburgh Mathematical Society The Edinburgh Mathematical Society is a mathematical society for academics in Scotland. History The Society was founded in 1883 by a group of Edinburgh school teachers and academics, on the initiative of Alexander Yule Fraser FRSE and Andrew Je ...

and previously a lecturer in English. Wattie herself attended Aberdeen Girls High School, and in 1916 attained her school leaving certificates. She went on to study medicine at

Aberdeen University , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

, graduating with a

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery 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 King ...

on 14 July 1921. In 1922 she was appointed non-resident house physician by

Edinburgh Royal Infirmary The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, or RIE, often (but incorrectly) known as the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, or ERI, was established in 1729 and is the oldest voluntary hospital in Scotland. The new buildings of 1879 were claimed to be the largest v ...

, and Wattie went on to qualify in Public Health at

Cambridge University , 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 1923. Wattie and her sisters (Mary, Katherine and Patricia) established the ''Wattie Prize in Arts and Social Sciences'' at the University of Aberdeen in honour of their father on his death in 1943:

... ''to commemorate the name of James Macpherson Wattie, their father, the prize is awarded annually to the best candidate in English Language in the English Honours examination, provided that his or her work shows distinction.''

Career

Wattie's first senior role was as Venereal Diseases Officer in Glasgow from 1929. Wattie's approach was to encourage

contact tracing In public health, contact tracing is the process of identifying persons who may have been exposed to an infected person ("contacts") and subsequent collection of further data to assess transmission. By tracing the contacts of infected individua ...

and volunteering for treatment, rather than the prevailing more judgemental view taken about those suffering from sexually transmitted diseases, and published her own research on improving sex education and maternity care. Wattie put her proposals out to non-medical forums as well; for example, addressing 700 delegates of the National Council of Women in Portsmouth in 1930 about the substantial Seamen's Welfare Agencies supported in Glasgow; the Council passed a resolution 'for improved medical and recreational facilities for the welfare of seamen'. Wattie went on to develop her primary interest in improving the health of women and children in the poorest slums of Glasgow, and, in 1934, she was appointed

Principal Medical Officer Principal Medical Officer is a senior position in the Royal Army Medical Corps, the Royal Canadian Navy, the Army Medical Corps (India), NHS Scotland and the Irish Health Service Executive. The title was formerly used within the British National H ...

(Maternity and Child Welfare). The conditions of poverty and poor hygiene made it difficult to eradicate infections, but Wattie and her assistant, Margaret Barron (who later succeeded her), convinced the Glasgow City Corporation to invest in clinics and health education; thus improving maternal care and the take-up of immunisation, which together effectively eliminated diphtheria in the city within a few years. Wattie supported

Mary Barbour Mary Barbour ( Rough; 20 February 1875 – 2 April 1958) was a Scottish political activist, local councillor, bailie and magistrate. Barbour was closely associated with the Red Clydeside movement in the early 20th century and especially for h ...

in setting up, in 1926, the Women's Welfare and Advisory Clinic, i.e. the first family planning clinic for married women, staffed by women (nurses and doctors), and also backed Barbour's campaigning for people affected by

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 ...

. Wattie spoke about social and public health steps in preventing such a deadly disease, e.g. in 1939 at the Conference of National Girls' Clubs; even back in 1913 Wattie led on tuberculosis risks at a public meeting in Motherwell, sponsored by the Scottish Council for Health Education. In 1936, Wattie spoke to the Glasgow District Nursing Association on the danger of the common cold and that 'children brought up in overcrowded dwellings, and unsuitably fed and clothed, were especially liable to catarrhal infections'. In 1941, Wattie was advocating school feeding in a paper The Child Under War Conditions''' saying the supply of a balanced meal to make up deficiencies in a child's home diet should continue:

"Was it too much to hope that within the near future such schemes would be universal and apply to all children?"

Wattie also spoke out in disagreement with complaints from rural families that dirty and uneducated evacuated children from Glasgow were from 'inefficient mothers' or due to the inadequate management of the evacuation programme, arguing instead for the eradication of city slums : "Today the special need is for active service to improve the conditions of the children living in the 'black spots'." Wattie had introduced maternity home helps (known as the Green Ladies, from the colour of their uniform) who supported new mothers and also established temporary accommodation in children's homes if mothers required hospitalisation (e.g. for the birth of subsequent children), all of which was intended to improve the 'psychology of the pre-school child and of the conditions favourable to health mental growth' as described in a speech Wattie made to the Public Health Section of the

Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow The Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow is a learned society established in 1802 "''for the improvement of the Arts and Sciences''" in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It runs a programme of lectures, starting its 220th Series in October 2021. ...

. In 1949, she ascribed the 'great success' of the district nurses to the 'fine training' provided by the

Queen's Institute of District Nursing The Queen's Nursing Institute (QNI) is a charity that works to improve the nursing care of people in their own homes in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It does not operate in Scotland, where the Queen's Nursing Institute Scotland performs ...

. Wattie was recruited for a 'Brains Trust' which met in Glasgow in 1942, The question master was

Tom Honeyman Thomas John Honeyman (10 June 1891 – 5 July 1971) was an art dealer and gallery director, becoming the most acclaimed director of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow. Born near Queen's Park, Glasgow, the son of a life insurance m ...

, and other panellists included Guy McCrone and

Paul Vincent Carroll Paul Vincent Carroll (10 July 1900 – 20 October 1968) was an Irish dramatist and writer of movie scenarios and television scripts. Carroll was born in Blackrock, County Louth, Ireland and trained as a teacher at St Patrick's College, Dublin ...

. Wattie was co-opted as being 'eminently qualified' to participate in the British Government’s Scientific Advisory Committee on

Infant Mortality Infant mortality is the death of young children under the age of 1. This death toll is measured by the infant mortality rate (IMR), which is the probability of deaths of children under one year of age per 1000 live births. The under-five morta ...

, reporting to the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

in February 1944 on how to reduce infant deaths and on plans for health improvement. In the following year, she was one of fifteen members of a committee to look into the provision of children deprived of a normal home life. The Committee had been set up by the

Secretary of State for Scotland The secretary of state for Scotland ( gd, Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba; sco, Secretar o State fir Scotland), also referred to as the Scottish secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the Unit ...

, Tom Johnston, and also included social pioneer

May Baird Matilda Deans "May" Baird, (née Tennent; 14 May 1901 – 16 August 1983) was a Scottish doctor and social pioneer. She was a town councillor in Aberdeen, established the first free family planning there and later was the first woman to hold ...

and author

Naomi Mitchison Naomi Mary Margaret Mitchison, Baroness Mitchison (; 1 November 1897 – 11 January 1999) was a Scottish novelist and poet. Often called a doyenne of Scottish literature, she wrote over 90 books of historical and science fiction, travel writin ...

. In the Scottish Council for Health Education summer school at St. Andrews' University in 1945, Wattie was advocating that teachers should be trained in hygiene and that 'every school should have at least hot & cold water and indoor lavatories' and noting that

"If every child could be trained to wash its hands after using the toilet and before meals it would revolutionise the health of the country."

Wattie also spoke out on behalf of providing adequate facilities in schools for girls in puberty, researching in 1949 the lack of availability of period products ( sanitary towels), changing facilities and safe disposal in 53 schools, for the Menstrual Hygiene Subcommittee of the

Medical Women's Federation The Medical Women's Federation is the largest UK body of women doctors. The organisation is dedicated to the advancement of the personal and professional development of women in medicine and to improving the health of women and their families i ...

. It was not until 24 November 2020, that the

Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...

(after four years of debates) unanimously passed

The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 was enacted in November 2020 by the Scottish Government, and received Royal assent on 12 January 2021. It is the world's first legislation to make it mandatory for all public institutions to ...

making it a statutory duty on local authorities, and becoming the first country in the world to provide free facilities for

menstruation Menstruation (also known as a period, among other colloquial terms) is the regular discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the inner lining of the uterus through the vagina. The menstrual cycle is characterized by the rise and fall of hor ...

. In 1956 the local press reported Wattie's Presidential Address to the Montrose conference of the Royal Sanitary Association of Scotland, summing up the need for collaboration in changing times:

"The whole history of the child welfare movement has shown the enormous benefits we have reaped from the partnership of health and education working towards the creation of happy, healthy childhood and happy family life."

In 1956-59, Wattie served on the Maternity Services in Scotland Committee advising on the NHS requirements and improving administration for ante-natal services and links to

general practice General practice is the name given in various nations, such as the United Kingdom, India, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa to the services provided by general practitioners. In some nations, such as the US, similar services may be describe ...

s. In 1961-2, Wattie was elected President of the

Society of Medical Officers of Health Royal Institute of Public Health merged in 2008 with the Royal Society for Health to form Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). History The institute was the amalgamation of a few societies. The Metropolitan Association of Medical Officers of ...

, as the second woman to hold the post, and first Scottish woman elected. Nora Wattie-cod liver oil photo

In her retirement, Wattie developed heath education for schools and colleges for the 'mothers and fathers of the future'. In 1990, at Greater Glasgow Health Board's exhibition to mark the City of Culture, (entitled ''Cod Liver Oil and Orange Juice'' and featuring 'graphic displays of medical advances'), its guest of honour, Nora Wattie, offered a spoonful of

cod liver oil Cod liver oil is a dietary supplement derived from liver of cod fish (Gadidae). As with most fish oils, it contains the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and also vitamin A and vitamin D. Historic ...

to the Board’s chair Sir Thomas Thomson. Nora Wattie died on 14 July 1994.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wattie, Nora 1900 births 1994 deaths British women medical doctors Women in medicine Scottish women scientists British public health doctors Officers of the Order of the British Empire Medical doctors from Glasgow Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Women public health doctors