22 Facts About Lawson Tait

Lawson Tait, born Robert Lawson Tait was a pioneer in pelvic and abdominal surgery and developed new techniques and procedures.

Lawson Tait emphasized asepsis and introduced and advocated for surgical techniques that significantly reduced mortality.

Lawson Tait is well known for introducing salpingectomy in 1883 as the treatment for ectopic pregnancy, a procedure that has saved countless lives since then.

Lawson Tait attended primary school at an independent school called Heriot's Hospital, where he showed exceptional promise.

In 1860, the 15-year-old Tait won a scholarship and attended the University of Edinburgh as a student of Arts.

Lawson Tait considered Syme to be a remarkable surgeon who emphasized care and cleanliness, and he particularly admired Syme's taste for controversy.

In 1862 Lawson Tait transferred to the Extramural School of Medicine and qualified in 1866 with the joint diploma of LRCPE, LRCSEd.

Lawson Tait worked as a resident surgeon at the Clayton Hospital in Wakefield as a resident surgeon from 1866 until 1870, when he took over a private practice in Birmingham.

Lawson Tait became an active member of the British Medical Association, and in this position became known as an "offensive and invidious" medical doctor.

Chamberlain and Lawson Tait were successful, and Lawson Tait worked as a member of this hospital's staff until 1893, when he resigned.

Lawson Tait was a strong and outspoken opponent of vivisection, the practice of surgery on animals for the sake of instruction and practice.

Lawson Tait argued that there were four strong arguments against this practice:.

Lawson Tait was suspicious of the prevailing practice of antisepsis, advocated for by Joseph Lister.

Unlike Lister, Lawson Tait used nothing more than boiling water for cleaning his instruments and yet had similar results.

Lawson Tait was able to achieve exceptional results in his surgery using his techniques, as they were simple, low-cost, effective, and not limited by the presence of chemicals.

So, 2 years later, Lawson Tait ligated the broad ligament and tube in another patient, and this patient survived.

In 1888, Lawson Tait reported only 2 deaths out of 42 operated cases, a marked improvement for a condition that had been almost always fatal.

Lawson Tait was president of the Birmingham Natural History and Microscopical Society in 1876 and around that time was instrumental in the establishment of the Midland Union of Natural History Societies.

Lawson Tait resigned his positions on the managing bodies of both organisations in 1878, in a dispute over the latter's subscription fees.

Lawson Tait's productivity slowed to a halt due to his declining health, along with two legal situations.

Lawson Tait died in 1899, at the age of 54, of chronic nephritis and uremia, after a week and a half of severe illness.

Lawson Tait remained lucid in his final days, and left instructions that his body be buried in a cave near his home.