Won and entrance scholarship to Trinity College, Dublin – graduated 1936
Gain first place and a gold medal in natural sciences BA
Other academic successes followed: The John Winthrop research Scholarship, Adrian Stokes travelling fellowship in pathology
Gained a medical qualification and resident hospital appointments, a fellowship with the Medical Research Council of Ireland
1939 – 1945 he volunteered for the RAMC and served as a specialist in pathology at a general hospital in East Africa at the Vaccine Laboratory in Eastleigh and at the Hospital for Head Injuries in Oxford.
Worked at the Vaccine Laboratory in Eastleigh
Worked at the Hospital for Head Injuries, Wheatley, Oxford
1947 – appointed consultant pathologist at Birmingham Accident Hospital, joining the small band of pioneers and enthusiasts who launched it 6 years before
He was in his element, stimulated by the wealth of clinicopathological experience that surrounded him, and the excellent opportunities for research
He stayed in this post for 33 years, until his retirement
At the Acci, he built up a department that undertook the whole range of pathology, as it then existed: bacteriology, haematology, biochemistry, histology, and morbid anatomy.
In each of these he made valuable contributions: on the use of injected dyes for studying burnt tissues, the infection of burns, paralaryngeal actinomycosis, the value of biopsy of the epitrochlear lymph nodes in
Honorary reader in pathology and senior research fellow at Birmingham University
Secretary of the working party on pathology of injury and the Royal College of Pathologists and honorary member of the Purkinje Society of Czechoslovakia
Received an MRC post-retirement grant for the analysis of the unique material from necropsies of cases of burns and trauma, which he had filed and documented during his years at the Acci – Two important publications, illuminating the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic lesions in relation to arterial thrombi and pulmonary emboli, resulted from this study.
Sevitt was renowned for his scrupulous routine laboratory and necropsy reports
Sevitt had a warm robust personality and had an independent spirit
He liked company, a good argument and had a keen awareness of the inequalities of the world which drew his views towards left wing radical views.
His opinions were delivered in an attractive Irish brogue. He always commanded respect and attention.
He enjoyed the theatre, sport, music, and gardening.
In retirement he enjoyed the peace and quiet of an academic environment. He was completely indulgent in his life-long hobby-pathology.,
He was survived by his wife, their three sons, two of which were doctors
We must recognise Sevitt’s classic paper in the lancet in 1959 which published convincing evidence for the first time on the value of thromboprophylaxis in trauma. Reducing both morbidity and mortality in patients with fractured femurs.
Important papers
Venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism after major injuries and burns, including a controlled trial which demonstrated that anticoagulant prophylaxis could be lifesaving. – Prophylactic anticoagulant therapy reduced both morbidity and mortality in patients with fractured femur.
Thromboembolism after a hip fracture – controversial paper written in 1959, written in conjunction with Gallagher. Found that fatal pulmonary embolism might occur in 30 days or more after surgery for a hip fracture. This revolutionised the attitude to preventing, diagnosing, and treating the condition.
Fast embolism
Renal function
Eosinopenia
Adrenal apoplexy after injury
Hepatic jaundice after blood transfusion
Revascularisation of the femoral head after intracapsular fracture