Richard Lane Joynt OBE (18 May 1866 - 8 April 1928) was an Irish orthopaedic surgeon,

metallurgist Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are known as alloys. Metallurgy encompasses both the sc ...

, who pioneered the use of x-rays.

Early life and family

Richard Lane Joynt was born at the Grange,

Raheny Raheny () is a northern suburb of Dublin, Ireland, halfway from the city centre to Howth. It is centred on a historic settlement, first documented in 570 CE ( Mervyn Archdall). The district shares Dublin's two largest municipal parks, Saint Anne ...

, County Dublin on 18 May 1866. His parents were Jane (née Russell) and

William Lane-Joynt William Lane-Joynt (1824-1895) was an Irish barrister and politician, and is the only person to have been mayor of both Limerick and Dublin. Early life and family William Lane-Joynt was born in Limerick on 26 December 1824. His parents were ...

, a barrister and mayor of Limerick in 1862 and Dublin in 1867. He had four brothers and a sister. His brother, William Russell, was a barrister and philatelist and Olympic shooter. Lane Joynt spent some of his childhood in Limerick, where his father trained as a solicitor. Through his father, he was a cousin of Augusta, Lady Gregory. Lane Joynt attended the Portora Royal School, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh and entered Trinity College Dublin, graduating with an LM diploma in 1889 and MB, BCh, BAO in 1890.

Career

In 1891 he trained at the

Vienna General Hospital The Vienna General Hospital (german: Allgemeines Krankenhaus der Stadt Wien), usually abbreviated to AKH, is the general hospital of the city of Vienna, Austria. It is also the city's university hospital, and the site of the Medical Univer ...

, receiving his MD in 1893, and admitted as a fellow of the

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is a medical professional and educational institution, which is also known as RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ireland's first private university. It was established in 1784 ...

(RCSI) in 1894 and elected to the County Dublin Infirmary and Meath Hospital. He served as a senior member of the RCSI council. Just two years after the invention of x-rays, Lane Joynt began experimenting with the new technology in 1897. As the dangers of

radiation In physics, radiation is the emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles through space or through a material medium. This includes: * ''electromagnetic radiation'', such as radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visi ...

were not yet known, Lane Joynt's hands were scarred and often bandaged from exposure to radium. He was among the first radiologists appointed in Ireland in 1900, having been given the post at the Meath Hospital. From 1898 to 1906, he was medical officer for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. He was published widely on medical research, including in the ''

Dublin Journal of Medical Science The ''Irish Journal of Medical Science'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed medical journal that was established in 1832 by Robert Kane as the ''Dublin Journal of Medical & Chemical Science''. Besides Kane, it had distinguished editors like Robert James ...

''. Much of these articles focused on his work using x-rays and their utility in the diagnosis and treatment of fractures and other injuries. Lane Joynt also worked as a technician and metallurgist. Among his work in this area was the development of mobility apparatus for wounded World War I soldiers. These inventions resulted in his appointment as the general inspector of orthopaedic factories in Great Britain and Ireland after the war. In his own workshop, he created surgical instruments for procedures such as skin grafts, which were used in Meath Hospital by Lane Joynt and colleagues. During World War I, he served in the

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 ...

as a lieutenant-colonel, and was an active member of the Red Cross. In recognition of his service, he was appointed an

Officer of 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 o ...

(OBE) in the 1920 civilian war honours. He died at his home, 84

Harcourt Street Harcourt Street is a street located in Dublin City, Ireland. Location It is a little over in length with its northerly start at the south-east corner of St Stephen's Green and terminates in the south at the point where Adelaide road become ...

, Dublin, on 8 April 1928, and is buried in St John's churchyard, Limerick. Obituaries were published in the ''

British Medical Journal ''The BMJ'' is a weekly peer-reviewed medical trade journal, published by the trade union the British Medical Association (BMA). ''The BMJ'' has editorial freedom from the BMA. It is one of the world's oldest general medical journals. Origi ...

'' and the ''

Irish Journal of Medical Science The ''Irish Journal of Medical Science'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed medical journal that was established in 1832 by Robert Kane as the ''Dublin Journal of Medical & Chemical Science''. Besides Kane, it had distinguished editors like Robert James ...

''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Joynt, Richard Lane 1866 births 1928 deaths Medical doctors from Dublin (city) 19th-century Irish medical doctors 20th-century Irish medical doctors X-ray pioneers Officers of the Order of the British Empire Royal Army Medical Corps officers British Army personnel of World War I