Dissecting RoomThe editors
Section snippets
Editor 1823–62
Wakley's extraordinary life started in a quiet Dorset village in England, where he was the 11th child of a local landowner. His admiration for Sir Astley Cooper led him to study medicine at the United Hospital in London, but it was the influence of his friend William Cobbett that persuaded him into publishing.
He founded The Lancet to expose and combat the corruption and nepotism that he found in the medical profession, and it was his inspiration and indefatigable work that led to the journal's
Editor 1862–86
The younger son of Thomas Wakley, James joined The Lancet in 1852 to assist his father, who by then was overworked and exhausted. Although he qualified in medicine, he never practised, and his work on the journal was more suited to his reforming interests.
As editor, he made no pretension to a thorough knowledge of medicine or science, preferring to leave this side of the journal's work to his staff. Instead he devoted himself to extending the public function of the journal, and he
Editor 1886–1905
As the eldest son of Thomas Wakley, Thomas' life was dominated by his overbearing father. He studied medicine, first at Oxford and then at the newly established University College London, but he was not allowed to specialise in dermatology. Instead, he was sent to Paris to pursue his medical education.
On his return, he was appointed to a surgical post at the Royal Free Hospital, London, a move that gave ammunition to his father's critics, who thought that the appointment had been rigged. At the
Editor 1886–1908
Under family pressure, Young Tom studied medicine at Cambridge but abandoned the course after completing his first MB. Then at the age of 30, the expectation of work at The Lancet “forced” him to take up medicine again. He completed his studies at St Thomas's but never practised.
He learned the art of journalism from his Uncle James who died in 1886 leaving Young Tom and his father Thomas Henry as joint proprietors and editors. It is said that they made a good combination because their
Editor 1909–37
After 86 years of control by the Wakley family, Samuel Squire Sprigge was the first non-Wakley to become editor, and he worked for The Lancet for 45 years. Born in Norfolk, he had a natural gift of clear expression and a taste for the company of writers. After 3 years at Cambridge, he went to St George's Hospital, London, where he qualified in 1887.
Medical practice had no appeal for him, so he spent most of his time in literary pursuits. When he joined The Lancet in 1892, he was asked to
Editor 1937–44
Morland grew up in South London, and his considerable aptitude for science earned him a scholarship to study medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital. His early ambition was to become an ophthalmologist, but he contracted tuberculosis and was sent to Switzerland for treatment. The experience persuaded him to specialise in tuberculosis and remain in Switzerland, where he also started to write for The Lancet.
The editor of the journal, Squire Sprigge, was impressed with his work, so when Morland
Editor 1944–64
Coming from a long line of Quaker doctors, Robbie Fox's decision to study medicine was inevitable. He trained at Pembroke College, Cambridge, and then at the London Hospital where he worked for some years before joining The Lancet in 1925. His commitment to free health care for all made him a strong advocate of the concept of a national health service.
Robbie Fox's work at The Lancet brought together his commitment to health services, to medical science, and to grammar. As an editor, he
Editor 1964–76
After qualifying from Edinburgh, Ian Douglas Wilson practised in Wales and, during the war, served with the Royal Army Medical Corps.
In 1944, he submitted a clinical paper to the BMJ, which led to the offer of a job from the editor, Hugh Clegg. As a radical, Douglas Wilson refused to join what he described as a reactionary and conservative publication. Clegg advised him to try The Lancet, which he did; he remained there for 30 years.
He was an outspoken opponent of routine peer review,
Editor 1976–88
After training at Guy's Hospital, London, Ian Munro served in the Royal Army Medical Corps and was contemplating a career in radiology when a vacancy at The Lancet was advertised. He maintained that Robbie Fox, who appointed him in 1951, said that anyone who could write a really good letter must be able to recognise a bad one and therefore had the makings of an editor.
A private man, he wrote extensively for the journal on a wide range of subjects during his 37-year career. The characteristic
Editor 1988–90
Gordon Reeves was The Lancet's shortest ever serving editor and the only one who did not rise through the ranks. When Ian Munro retired, the owners of the journal, Hodder and Stoughton, decided that a high-profile candidate was needed.
He was an eminent academic, whose experience included posts at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London, and membership of advisory committees of both the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pathologists. His experience of publishing had been
Editor 1990–95
With the appointment of Robin Fox to the editorship, The Lancet was reverting to tradition and selecting from within existing staff. When he joined the staff, it was probably hoped that he would resemble his father—the former editor Robbie Fox—who was happiest when delivering wise words wittily to an audience. This was not to be. Fox junior was a man of silences, which seemed to last forever as he sought the perfectly grammatical sentence.
After qualifying in Edinburgh, he joined The Lancet in
References (0)
Cited by (6)
The Lancet and the medical journal as an instrument of reform
2023, The LancetPandemics, policy, and the power of paradigm: will COVID-19 lead to a new scientific revolution?
2022, Annals of EpidemiologyThe “Two Camps” Competition: the 1894 Hong Kong Plague in Two English Medical Journals
2022, Medicina HistoricaExperiments on living subjects: The vivisection debate in german and briTish medical weekly journals 1919-1939
2009, Medizinhistorisches JournalDoctors cannot escape politics, and neither can medical journals
2000, European Journal of Nuclear Medicine