John Rupert Squire (Aug 1915 – Jan 1966)

  • MA Cantab (1938)
  • MRCS LRCP (1939) 
  • MB Bchir (1939) 
  • MRCP (1941) 
  • MD Birm (1948) 
  • FRC (1950) 
  • FRCPath (1963)
  • Born Kingston-on-Thames 1915
  • Kings Scholar of Westminster School
  • 1936 first class in Part II of the Cambridge Physiology Tripos, he went to University College Hospital Medical School, where he gained a Goldsmith scholarship and the Fellowes medal. Qualifying MB, BChir in 1939.
  • His first paper in Clinical Science was written as a student.
  • 1942 – joined the Army and was appointed to the Medical Research Section at GHQ Home Forces as a GSO2. 
  • Later in the War he went to South East Asia as a Medical Specialist, and then with the rank of Lt. Colonel as O/C Biological Research Section, Allied Land Forces, South East Asia. For these services he was mentioned in despatches.
  • After the war he took service with the Medical Research Council and was Director of the Industrial Medicine and Burns Research Unit at the Birmingham Accident Hospital
  • had been a protégé of Sir Thomas Lewis. 
  • In 1948 at the early age of 33, he was appointed to the Leith Chair of Experimental Pathology and the Directorship of the Division of Pathological Studies in the University of Birmingham.
  • There he built up an excellent department of experimental pathology which consisted of three powerful research schools. These were in renal disease, with particular reference to the nephrotic syndrome and the mechanisms of proteinuria, a strong division of immunological chemistry, and a large research team investigating the connective tissue disorders with particular reference to the characteristics of the blood proteins in rheumatoid arthritis
  • overall charge of three distinct and separate research projects – those considering renal disease, immunological chemistry and connective tissue disorders.
  • John Squire retained a close association with the Industrial Medicine Research Unit, and the studies by him and his colleagues on skin cancer constitute an important chapter in industrial medicine. Some years later the MRC established under Squire’s honorary directorship in the University Department of Pathology a Unit for Research on Experimental Pathology of the Skin. This prospered and is breaking new ground in knowledge of the metabolism of skin and the ways in which this can be altered by micro-organisms and allergens.
  • 1957 – gave the Oliver Sharpey Lectures on The Functions of the Plasma Proteins’
  • 1959-1961 he was Deputy Dean of the University of Birmingham
  • He devoted much energy to the application of computer methods to hospital and laboratory work.
  • Director-Designate of the Medical Research Council Clinical Research Centre. For several years he supervised the planning of this centre and at the time of his death it seemed that he could look forward to its coming into commission in a very few years
  • Chairmanship of the working party on hypogammaglobulinemia, and membership of the committees on the carcinogenic action of mineral oils, occupational health, and toxicology. He was also chairman of the Army Personnel Research Committee and amongst his many activities he found time to be a Regional Adviser in Civil Defence.
  • Member of the Royal Commission on Medical Education.
  • 1940 – married Marguerite Mary. They had two daughters
  • Died suddenly 6th January, aged 50, at University College Hospital on one of his numerous visits to London.

Author(s)

WMA

Acknowledgments

[Brit.med.J., 1966, 1, 173 , 240, 302; Lancet, 1966, 1, 157, 212, 378; Times, 8 Jan 1966; Photo.]

Courtesy Royal College of Physicians London, Munk’s Roll, Volume VI, page 412