Dorothy Davison

Dorothy Davison (9 March 1889 – 4 February 1984 ) was a British writer and medical illustrator. She founded the Medical Artists' Association in 1949, and trained many young medical artists in Manchester.

Early life and education Davison enrolled at the Manchester School of Art around the age of 18. She produced illustrations for orthopaedic surgeon Sir Harry Platt, Professor of Anatomy G.A.G Mitchell, and obstetrician Daniel Dougal. She worked particularly closely with Jefferson, a neurosurgeon, and always emphasised the importance of collaboration between artist and practitioner. Davison would sketch in the operating theatre, and tidy up her illustrations later.

In 1939, the University of Manchester sought to offer Davison a formal contract as a Medical Artist, but the onset of the war prevented this from happening until 1945.

Davison used the 'Ross board technique', developed by Max Brödel while at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and introduced to British artists by Audrey J. Arnott. The camera cannot think, the artist must; science as well as art goes to the making of a medical drawing. Because the artist is always seeking to show essentials clearly, and to elucidate difficult and obscure points, he is especially useful to students.

Medical Artists' Association In 1948, Davison began working to establish the Medical Artists' Association of Great Britain, seeking support from other medical artists, including Zita Stead, Audrey J. Arnott, Margaret McLarty, and Clifford Shepley. It went on:She has covered essential facts and theory from the beginning of things down to Azilo-Tardenoisian times. Her book is simple enough in argument and language to be comprehensible by a child of average intelligence of the age of, say, twelve, while the narrative is sufficiently interesting and picturesque as to make a child of that age want to read it. This is true even, when dealing with such a topic as the psychology underlying palaeolithic art, which introduces an entirely alien point of view. It must not be thought, however, that this is a book for children only. It covers the latest discoveries, and as an introduction to prehistory it is as good, if not better than many a more pretentious work.

Later years Davison retired from her role at the University of Manchester in 1957 but remained active in the Medical Artists' Association. She died in Manchester on 4 February 1984.