LEWIS
,
EMLYN EVANS
(
1905
-
1969
),
plastic surgeon
;
b. in
Pennsylvania
10 Apr. 1905
. While still young he was brought to
Wales
by his mother and he received his education at
Monmouth School
and then went to
London
to study medicine at
St. Mary's Hospital
. He was regarded there as the most brilliant student of his year and Qualified
M.R.C.S.
,
L.R.C.P.
in
1929
and
F.R.C.S.
in
1933
. After acquiring extensive experience in general surgery he decided to
specialise in plastic surgery
. He gave exceptionally valuable service at the centre at
Gloucester
when treating airmen suffering from extensive burns received during
World War I
. The centre was transferred to
St. Lawrence Hospital
at
Chepstow
in
1948
, and came under the administration of the
Welsh Hospital Board
.
Lewis
spent the remainder of his distinguished career in full charge of this Special Unit, and combined his responsibilities there with extra duties as
consultant
to various hospitals in
Cardiff
, including the
Royal Infirmary
. The excellent reputation of
St. Lawrence Hospital
extended throughout south and west
Wales
, and his skill and experience in the
treatment of burns
proved of inestimable value to
miners
and
steel workers
, who were particularly exposed to such hazards. He was an exceptionally talented pioneer and an untiring worker in his chosen field, and was greatly respected throughout the
United Kingdom
. Furthermore, he was a remarkably capable and determined
administrator
, and a persuasive
lecturer
.
Lewis
was a man of short, stocky physique and an enthusiastic
footballer
— an activity that determined the shape of his nose. It was the recurrent damage to that organ that engendered his initial interest in
plastic surgery
. His kindness was legendary and his memory faultless. He was an avid
collector of period clocks
, and eventually became a very knowledgeable
horologist
. He was also a keen
Freemason
, being
master of several lodges
. He d. in
Cardiff Royal Infirmary
,
14 May 1969
, and was survived by his wife (
Mary
Cooper
, when he m.
28 Oct. 1939
) and daughter.
Bibliography:
-
British Medical Journal
,
1969
, 2, 518, 829;
-
The Lancet
,
1969
, 1, 1107;
-
Lives of the Fellows of the Royal College of
Surgeons
, London, 1930–51, 1952–60
,
1965-73
;
- personal knowledge.
Author:
Emyr Wyn Jones, M.D., F.R.C.P., (1907-99), Pwllheli / Liverpool
