| Notes |
- OBITUARY,
WILLIAM CHAPMAN GRIGG, M.D.EDIN., M.R.C.P.LOND.
Formerly Assistant Obstetric Physician Westminster Hospital.
WE are indebted to Mr. G. H. Makins, Consulting Surgeon
with the Forces in South Africa, for the following note on the
circumstances of the death of Dr. W. Chapman Grigg, who, as
already briefly announced, died at Wynberg on March 12th.
Mr. Makins writes from Capetown, under date March 13th, as
follows:
" Many of your readers will hear with concern and regret of
the death of Dr. W. C. Grigg, which took place at No. I
Military Hospital, Wynberg, at 5 A.M. on Monday, March 12th,
from enteric fever. Dr.Grigg arrived in this country in
January last, and placed his services at the disposal of the
Medical Department.. These were accepted by Surgeon-
General Wilson, and Dr. Grigg was sent to the camp at
Modder River to take part in the treatment of the cases of
enteric fever in hospital there as a volunteerphysician. From
the first the trying circumstances of life at Modder River, the
heat, dust, and somewhat restricted and indigestible diet,
severely tried him, and when I saw him there early in
February I tried to persuade him to relinquish his
duties, as his digestion was disordered, and he was far
from well. He was then living in No. 2 Divisional
Field Hospital,' but on the departure of the HiGhland
Brigade to the front, he went into a room at th]
hotel building. There he became acutely ill and some ttil
days ago was brought down to Wynberg in the ambulance
train and plsced under:the charge of Major Simpson, R.A.M.C.,
and Dr. Jameson; he was also seen in consultation several
times by Dr. Tooth, Physician to the Portland Hospital. The
disease was supposed to have reached the nineteenth day,
and the temperature on admission and several days afterwards
was very high although a hopeful patient at first, hisstrength began to fail with some rapidity;, on the last three
days there was constant diarrheea and several small hemorrhages,
and he died of exhaustion, his intellect, with slight
occasional wanderings, remaining clear to the last. Dr. Grigg
fully recognised his condition, but bore his illness with great
patience and resignation, and very much appreciated the
visits of his neighbours from London, Sir W. MacCormac, Dr.
G. Stoker, and Mr. Osborn, who were in Capetown at the time
and he had the comfort of being skilfully and tenderly nursed
by a fellow parishioner. He was buried at Wynberg Cemetery
with full military honours in the presence of a few friends on
March I3th. Dr. Grigg's services were not of the character to
qualify him as a recipient for the Victoria Cross, but none the
less he gave his life with the bravery and devotion to the service
of our country happily so conspicuous in the present
crisis. Blessed with abundant means and with nothing to
gain, he placed his services unreservedly at the disposal of
the military authorities for the benefit of his sick countrymen,
and he will find his reward."
We learn from friends in this country that in the last letter
received from him Dr. Grigg said that he felt ill but was
determined to stick to his work, and his closing words were:
" Should .you never again hear from me, remember I have
sacrificed my life in the cause of my country." This he did,
for he received no remuneration from Government, he was
under no sort of engagement to remain, and could have left
when lie chose, and by taking a,respite might have been restored
to health.
Dr.'Grigg, whowas 6o yearsofage,was'educatedatQueenElizabeth
Jollege, Guernsey, and always entertained agreataffection
for the school, and on the night before his sailing he was
anxious that a paper from the College requesting particulars
of his career in after-life should be accurately filled in. He
studied medicine at Birmingham, Bristol, King's College,
Lmdon, Vienna, and Edinburgh University. He qualified as
M.R.C.S.Eng. in I863 and L.S.A. in I864, graduated M.D. at
Edinburgh in I870, and became M.R.C.P.Lond. in I872. He
was House-Surgeon to the Lock Hospital, and for a short time
was in general practice in Maida Hill; but from 1874 to I893
he was Assistant Obstetric Physician to the Westminster
Hospital, and for a time Joint Lecturer in Forensic Medicine
at its medical school. He was also Physician to Queen Charlotte's
Lying-in Hospital and the Victoria Hospital for Children,
and Physician-Accoucheur to St. George's Dispensary.
He was a Fellow of the Royal Medical and Chirurgical and of
the obstetrical societies; a member of the Pathological and
Clinical Societies; and a past President of the British Gynrecological
Society, in the formation of which he was largely
instrumental. He contributed a paper on Antiseptics
in Lying-in Hospitals to the BRITIsH MEDICAL JOURNAL in
i885r.
For many years he was Honorary Secretary of the Metropolitan
Counties Branch of the British Medical Association in
conjunction with the late Dr. Alexander Henry, and represented
the Branch on the former Committee of Council, and
after its reorganisation on the Council of the Association. He
was in office in 1878 when the Association decided to undertake
the printing of its journal, and he was much opposed to
that venture. Indeed, chiefly by his efforts a requisition was
signed which resulted in the holding of a special general
meeting of the Association at Birmingham on April 2nd, 1878,
at which he moved a resolution in accordance with his views,
but the great majority of the meeting was in favour of the
new departure, whilst the result has been a success greater
than was then dreamt of by anyone. But although
Dr. Grigg was mistaken in this instance lie continued
for another ten years to do: yeoman service for the
Association, and the number of members of the Metropolitan
Counties Branch grew to exceed I,ooo before his
retirement from the secretaryship. He was a man of great
energy and public spirit, and keenly interested in public
affairs. He was hospitable and fond of society, and had ample
means wherewith to gratify his tastes in these respects. His
wife predeceased him by about fourteen months. They had
no family.
A memorial Fervice was held at Christ Church, Down Street,
Mayfair, on March 2Ist, at whirh a large congregation was
present. The Vicar, the Rev. B. R. Rowsell, spoke very feelingly
of the deceased, who had for twenty-five years been churchwarden of the church
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Grigg Family Tree
26th November1839 - 12th March1900 (61 years)