Braxton Hicks was born at Rye, Sussex, the second son of Edward Hicks, J.P, a banker. He was educated privately and then apprenticed to a local doctor until entering Guy’s Hospital. He was an outstanding student at Guy’s and also gained a medal as an oarsman. He graduated with honours in 1845 and, after a period of general practice at Tottenham, was elected assistant obstetric physician to Guy’s Hospital in 1858. Ten years later he became obstetric physician and lecturer in obstetrics. In 1888, six years after retiring from the active staff at Guy’s, he accepted the appointments of obstetric physician and lecturer to St. Mary’s Hospital. He was also physician to the Royal Maternity Charity and the Royal Infirmary, Waterloo Road. He was president of the Obstetrical Society in 1871, and gave the Croonian Lectures at the Royal College of Physicians in 1877. For his original contributions to the knowledge of midwifery and the diseases of women, he gained a wide reputation, and the form of cephalotribe bearing his name was in use all over the country. Braxton Hicks was a man of great enthusiasm and wide interests. From his boyhood days he had been devoted to botany and in later years he owned a fine collection of Wedgwood ware. He was also interested in first aid and at Lymington, to which he finally retired, he founded an ambulance centre.

G H Brown

[Lancet, 1897; B.M.J., 1897]