James Dundas-Grant

Sir James Dundas-Grant (13 June 1854 – 13 November 1944) was a British ear, nose and throat surgeon. He was surgeon to a number of London hospitals and surgeon to several institutions. He was regarded as a prolific writer about a variety of topics within his speciality and devised a number of surgical instruments. In addition to his clinical practice he was president of several surgical speciality societies and was knighted in 1920.

Early life James Dundas-Grant was born in Edinburgh in 1854. His father was James Dundas-Grant, an Edinburgh advocate and his mother Louise Elizabeth Dundas-Grant (née Chapuy). He went to school at the Edinburgh Academy and finished his schooling at Dunkirk College in northern France. He matriculated as an undergraduate at the University of Edinburgh graduating Master of Arts (MA) in 1873. He then studied for a short time at the University of Würzburg in Bavaria before matriculating in the University of Edinburgh Medical School graduating MB CM in 1876. He was a house officer at the Edinburgh Royal Maternity Hospital then went on to set up in general practice in London. He had hospital attachments to Poplar Hospital and the Shadwell Lying-in Home and was able to attend clinics at London teaching hospitals, where his interest in oto-laryngology began. He graduated MD with honours from the University of Edinburgh in 1879. His first post in his chosen speciality was as a surgical registrar at the Central London Nose, Throat, and Ear Hospital (later the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital).

Surgical career Dundas-Grant became pathologist and then surgeon at the Central London Nose, Throat, and Ear Hospital. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCSEd) in 1884 and of the Royal College of Surgeons of England six years later. He was also surgeon to the Brompton Hospital, the West End Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, the Freemasons' Hospital and the Sussex Throat and Ear Hospital at Brighton.

Later life and death A street accident in 1944 took its toll on his health and he died in London on 13 November 1944.

Selected publications

Labyrinth tests. Medical Press (1922), 103, 501. Enlarged tonsils and adenoids. West London Medical Journal. (1924), 29, 1. Catarrhal deafness. Practitioner, (1925), 64, 385. Tuberculosis and cancer of the larynx. Clinical Journal. (1925), 54, 469.

Forcible nasal inspiration Br Med J. 1933 Feb 4;1(3761):183-4.