Rotary club

DR ALAN Axford, a recently inducted member of Rotary, gave a talk on his career in medicine at this week’s meeting. He was born in Blaenau Gwent into a mining family – the village had two coal pits and mining was the only employment.Interest in medicine probably started when his miner father was the area super-intendent of the St John’s Ambulance.

Accident victims came to the house since treatment was free, whereas a visit to the GP was not in those days.He got into the local grammar school and biology became a fav ourite subject – so much so that when one of the family chickens became crop-bound through eating fresh grass, he was able to anaesthetise the animal with ether, cut open the crop to remove the obstruction and stitch it up – his first patient success.When it came to deciding on medical school, his headmaster plumped for Cardiff, adding that the London schools favoured public school candidates.

However, London was the attraction so applications went to St Thomas’, Middlesex and UCL – the latter was favoured particularly as there was a vacancy for a scrum half in their rugby side.

The first academic hurdle was 2nd MB – low marks in biochemistry earned an interview with the Dean, but a distinction at resits was rewarded with a scholarship of £150. After qualification he did six months each in surgery and medicine.

His first house job was in the Birmingham accident hospital and his first patient was a stabbed policeman. Alan had to give evidence in inquests and two murder trials. Four years were spent in the Bromley group of hospitals where he really learnt about medicine. Cardiac resuscitation with electric shock treatment was just being developed, though some were not in favour as the shock stops the heart for a few seconds.

Five years were spent with the Medical Research Council in Llandough before coming to Aberystwyth to succeed Dr G O Thomas who had specialised in Farmers’ Lung. The first years were difficult, making changes and putting forward new ideas. Alan developed a medical oncology service which involved drug use as well as surgery.

Previously, patients had to travel to Wolverhampton or Cardiff for distressing treatment.

Towards the end of 35 years at Bronglais, Alan developed an interest in tele-medicine and was the first in Wales to develop this technique in which a team, pooling information, enhanced prospects for the patient. In his last 10 years, Alan took over the demanding and difficult role of medical director.Club president John Harris thanked Alan for a marvellous account of a glittering career where he was his own man.