Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- Introduction
- Acknowledgements
- Chapter One Early Days (1903–1918)
- Chapter Two The Medical Student (1922–1927)
- Chapter Three Postgraduate Training (1927–1934)
- Chapter Four Consultancies: at Home and Away (1935–1939)
- Chapter Five The War Years (1939–1945)
- Chapter Six The Obstetric Unit in Nixon's Time (1946–1966)
- Chapter Seven Research in the Obstetric Unit (1946–1956)
- Chapter Eight Teaching at UCH (1946–1966)
- Chapter Nine Nixon the Man (1928–1965)
- Chapter Ten Last Days
- APPENDICES
- SOURCES
- INDEX
Chapter Ten - Last Days
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2014
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- Introduction
- Acknowledgements
- Chapter One Early Days (1903–1918)
- Chapter Two The Medical Student (1922–1927)
- Chapter Three Postgraduate Training (1927–1934)
- Chapter Four Consultancies: at Home and Away (1935–1939)
- Chapter Five The War Years (1939–1945)
- Chapter Six The Obstetric Unit in Nixon's Time (1946–1966)
- Chapter Seven Research in the Obstetric Unit (1946–1956)
- Chapter Eight Teaching at UCH (1946–1966)
- Chapter Nine Nixon the Man (1928–1965)
- Chapter Ten Last Days
- APPENDICES
- SOURCES
- INDEX
Summary
Outworn heart, in a time outworn,
Come clear of the nets of wrong and right;
Laugh, heart, again in the grey twilight,
Sigh, heart, again in the dew of the morn.
Into the Twilight (1923) WB YeatsWilliam Nixon was not a well man in his last years; his heart was failing. He had been a powerful athlete in his younger days, a rugby football forward and a great swimmer, both of which tend to lead to heavy body and arm muscles. He was still a good athlete in his adult years: witness his swimming the Bosphorus when he was over forty. However, the years of good living with the rich foods and fine wines were taking their toll. He was overweight and under stress.
Nixon's first heart attack occurred in 1960 when he was in Bath for the weekend. He was taken to the Royal United Hospital from the Francis Hotel in Queen Square where he was staying. He had been under the care of Max Rosenheim (by this time Professor of Medicine at UCH) for hypertension. Max considered it his duty to go down to the West Country to see Nixon. Had the estimation of cholesterol levels and other more modern biochemical criteria been available, these might have strengthened Rosenheim's hand in advising his reluctant patient, but such tests were not yet developed.
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- Special DeliveryThe Life of the Celebrated British Obstetrician, William Nixon, pp. 123 - 128Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2004