Thomas Cecil Gray

Thomas Cecil Gray CBE, KCSG (March 11, 1913 - January 5, 2008), was a pioneer of modern Anaesthetic techniques. [ [http://www.ampleforth.org.uk/OANews/html/ProfessorTCecilGrayCBEKCSGA31.html Obiturary from Old Amplefordians] ]

Life

Gray was born in Liverpool in 1913, and educated at Ampleforth College and the University of Liverpool where he qualified in medicine in 1937.

He began his career as a General Practitioner before joining the Royal Army Medical Corps. He later returned to the University to become head and professor of the Department of Anaesthesia and was made Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in 1970, retiring in 1976.

As Senior Lecturer he established the Department of Anaesthesia at Liverpool University. The ‘Liverpool technique’, based on the triad of unconsciousness, analgesia and muscle relaxation, was developed as a result. Gray was the editor of the British Journal of Anaesthesia from 1948 to 1964. Until recently Gray continued to give occasional lectures at the university.

Gray was made a CBE by Her Majesty Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and in 1982 was honoured by Pope John Paul II with the membership of the Order of St. Gregory the Great as a Knight Commander. In 2007 the Liverpool Echo included him in its list of the 800 greatest Liverpudlians, as part of Liverpool's 800th anniversary.

Private life

He married twice, his first wife was Marjorie Kathleen Hely in 1937, they had 2 children, and she died in 1978. He then married Pamela Mary Corning in 1979, with whom he had 1 son. He also had four grandchildren. A requiem mass was held at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral on 26 January 2008.

Posts

* Founder member of the Board of the new Faculty of Anaesthetists of the Royal College of Surgeons 1948.
* President of the Section of Anaesthetics of the Royal Society of Medicine in 1955
* President of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (1957-1959).

Publications

*"A Milestone in Anaesthesia?", published in 1946. ISSN 0035-9157
*"General Anaesthesia", with J. F. Nunn ISBN 0-407-18554-2.
*"Dr. Richard Formby", (Published: Royal College of Physicians) (2002)

References

External links

* [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/professor-t-cecil-gray-general-practitioner-whose-liverpool-technique-established-modern-methods-in-anaesthesia-774316.html Obituary "The Independent"]
* [http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/obituaries/2008/01/30/cecil-gray-64375-20410836/ Obituary "The Liverpool Daily Post"]
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/01/30/db3003.xml Obituary "Telegraph"]
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3328698.ece Obituary "Times"]