J. Harley Williams

John Hargreaves Harley Williams OBE DPH (19 October 1901 – 12 April 1974), often known as J. Harley Williams, was a British physician, barrister, medical author, and novelist.

Life Born in Birkenhead, where he went to school, Williams was admitted to the faculty of medicine at the University of Edinburgh aged only sixteen. He became one of the best-known students of the university, excelling as a debater, a pianist, and a writer, and becoming editor of the student magazine.

Williams graduated MBChB in 1923, and then Doctor of Public Health. His direction was set by his admiration for the work on tuberculosis of Sir Robert William Philip, and his first career appointment was as tuberculosis officer and medical officer of health in the Isle of Lewis. He joined the National Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis (NAPT) in 1927 and became a travelling lecturer. In 1939 he was appointed as the association's Secretary General. This post was transformed into that of Director General of the Chest and Heart Association when the NAPT changed its name.

Publications A Century of Public Health in Britain, 1832–1929 by J. H. Harley Williams, with a foreword by W. W. Jameson (London : A. & C. Black, 1932) ”Citizenship and Tuberculosis” in Journal of State Medicine, Vol. 43 (1935), 43–52 Northern Lights and Western Stars (London: Rich & Cowan, 1939), novel Fingal’s Box (London: Jonathan Cape, 1941), novel The Healing Touch (Right Book Club, 1949, ) Between Life and Death (The Scientific Book Club, 1952, ) Masters of Medicine (Pan Books, 1954, ) Requiem for a Great Killer: Story of Tuberculosis (London: Health Horizon, 1973) Will to Health (London: Health Horizon, 1967)

Honours OBE, 1950 New Year Honours