Hector Charles Cameron was born in Glasgow. His father was Sir Hector Cameron, professor of surgery at Glasgow University, who had been house surgeon and first assistant to Sir Joseph Lister,and his mother Frances, daughter of William Hamilton Macdonald. Charles, as he was known, graduated M.A. (Glasg.), before going up to St. John’s College, Cambridge, where he took a first in the science tripos and the university entrance scholarship to Guy’s Hospital. There he became a house physician, worked in the physiological department under Professor Pembury and A. E. Boycott, and was medical registrar before his appointment as assistant physician in 1911. In 1920 he chose to become a children’s specialist instead of full physician, but as there was then no children’s department at the Hospital it was some time before he was allotted a ward. Later he was a most successful dean. His acute clinical acumen made him an outstanding teacher. In 1925 he was Lumleian lecturer to the College.

Like his father, Charles was below average height, but of sturdy build, and had the same thick, whitish hair. He exuded charm, and the keen sense of humour with which he told his many Scottish stories made him a brilliant conversationalist. His hobby was the study of scientific and medical history, shown in his biographies, particularly those of Lord Lister (1948) and Sir Joseph Banks (1952), and in Mr. Guy's hospital (1954). Up to the time of his last illness he was working on Dr Cecil Wall’s manuscript notes on the history of the Society of Apothecaries. The first volume, covering the period 1617 to 1815 and edited by E. A. Underwood, was published in 1963.

In 1908 he married Dora, daughter of W. E. Hill, of Blackheath. They had two daughters.

Richard R Trail

[Brit.med.J., 1958, 1, 893-4, 1070; Guy’s Hasp. Rep., 1958, 107, 151-66 (p); Lancet, 1958,1, 802-03 (p); Times, 2, 7 Apr. 1958.]