Prof Thomas Swale Vincent MD
FRSE LLD (24 May 1868 – 31 December 1933) was a British
physiologist who spent most of his working life in Canada.
Early years
Thomas Swale Vincent was born in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...
on 24 May 1868, the son of Joseph Vincent and his wife, Margaret Swale.
[C. Lovatt Evans (1934) "T. Swale Vincent, M.D., D.Sc., Ll.D. Formerly Professor Of Physiology, University Of London," ''The British Medical Journal,'' Vol. 1, No. 3810 (Jan. 13, 1934), pp. 83-84][''British physiologists 1885-1914: a biographical dictionary,'' Manchester University Press ND, 1991, p513-5]
He was educated at
King Edward VI Grammar School in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...
,
[ and subsequently studied Medicine at ]Mason Science College
Mason Science College was a university college in Birmingham, England, and a predecessor college of Birmingham University. Founded in 1875 by industrialist and philanthropist Sir Josiah Mason, the college was incorporated into the University o ...
(which later became the University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham (informally Birmingham University) is a Public university, public research university located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Queen's College, Birmingha ...
), graduating MB in 1894.[ At age 24, Swale qualified in medicine, and travelled to the ]University of Heidelberg
}
Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, ...
to study under Albrecht Kossel
Ludwig Karl Martin Leonhard Albrecht Kossel (; 16 September 1853 – 5 July 1927) was a German biochemist and pioneer in the study of genetics. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1910 for his work in determining the ch ...
.[ He then returned to Mason Science College as a demonstrator of physiology.][
]
Career
In 1896, Vincent's first paper, entitled "The Suprarenal Capsules in the Lower Vertebrates," was published in ''The Proceedings of the Birmingham Natural History and Philosophical Society.''[ This research earned him a BMA Research Scholarship,][ presenting the opportunity to work with E.A. Schäfer, the original discoverer of the suprarenal capsules, at ]University College
In a number of countries, a university college is a college institution that provides tertiary education but does not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university. The precise usage varies ...
in London.[ In 1897, Vincent succeeded Benjamin Moore as Sharpey Scholar,][ becoming assistant professor to Schäfer, and, in 1899, to ]Ernest Starling
Ernest Henry Starling (17 April 1866 – 2 May 1927) was a British physiologist who contributed many fundamental ideas to this subject. These ideas were important parts of the British contribution to physiology, which at that time led the world ...
.[
In 1900, Vincent was appointed a lecturer at ]Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
, where his students included future cardiologist
Cardiology () is a branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart and the cardiovascular system. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular ...
Thomas Lewis, with whom he published two papers on the biochemistry of muscle.[ Lewis later wrote, "I have always been grateful to Vincent for giving me my first introduction to scientific work."][ Two years later, he was awarded the Francis Mason Research Scholarship,][ and rejoined Schäfer, now at the ]University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
, to study the physiology of the thymus
The thymus is a specialized primary lymphoid organ of the immune system. Within the thymus, thymus cell lymphocytes or ''T cells'' mature. T cells are critical to the adaptive immune system, where the body adapts to specific foreign invaders. ...
and other ductless glands.[ In 1904 he was awarded a ]Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science ( la, links=no, Scientiae Doctor), usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D., or D.S., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries, "Doctor of Science" is the degree used f ...
from the University of Edinburgh for his thesis on Addison's disease and the functions of the suprarenal capsules.
In 1904, Vincent was appointed the first Professor of Physiology at the University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba.[Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749, ...](_blank)
, Manitoba, Canada.[Ian Carr & Robert E. Beamish (1999) ''Manitoba medicine: a brief history,'' Univ. of Manitoba Press, p55] Here, he oversaw the research of biochemist Alexander Thomas Cameron, and was influential in fostering Cameron's interest in endocrinology
Endocrinology (from '' endocrine'' + '' -ology'') is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions known as hormones. It is also concerned with the integration of developmental event ...
.[White, F.D. & Collip J.B. (1948) "Obituary Notice: Alexander Thomas Cameron, 1882-1947," ''Biochemical Journal'', 43(1): 1–2] In 1910, Vincent was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Sir Edward Albert Sharpey-Schafer
Sir Edward Albert Sharpey-Schafer FRS FRSE FRCP LLD (2 June 1850 – 29 March 1935) was an English physiologist.
He is regarded as a founder of endocrinology: in 1894 he discovered and demonstrated the existence of adrenaline together with G ...
, William Cramer, James Cossar Ewart and Orlando Charnock Bradley
Orlando Charnock Bradley FRSE (8 May 1871 – 21 November 1937) was a British veterinarian and first President of the National Veterinary Medical Association. He is described as one of the foremost veterinarians of the 20th century.
Life
He was ...
. Vincent remained at Manitoba until 1920, when he returned to London to become Professor of Physiology at Middlesex Hospital
Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, England. First opened as the Middlesex Infirmary in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally clos ...
.[ He retired from this post in 1930.][
]
Personal life
In 1914, he married Beatrice Overton, daughter of Mr. W. Overton, and had two daughters; all three survived him. Vincent's shyness sometimes gave an impression of brusqueness, but friends knew him as a "staunch friend and a charming companion." Vincent, who practised as a pianist
A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...
, also had a deep love of music.
Attitudes
Vincent's research on endocrinology
Endocrinology (from '' endocrine'' + '' -ology'') is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions known as hormones. It is also concerned with the integration of developmental event ...
earned him a strong international reputation in his field.[ He was known for his "highly critical and sceptical mind,"][ and was described by colleague William Cramer as "a man of firm principles and high ideals on which he would not compromise."][
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vincent, Swale
1868 births
1933 deaths
20th-century British biologists
British endocrinologists
British physiologists
Alumni of the University of Birmingham
Academics of the University of Birmingham