Patrick Clarkson

Patrick Wensley Clarkson, (20 February 1911 – 28 December 1969), was a plastic surgeon at Guy's Hospital in London, best known for surgery of the hand and the description of "Poland Syndactyly", later termed Poland syndrome.

Born in New Zealand, he studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh after which he entered Guy's Hospital. His experiences during the Second World War and his training with Sir Harold Gillies in burns and facial injuries led to an internationally acclaimed career in that area. He published extensively in textbooks and journals, lectured widely on burns in children and founded the Hand Club.

Early life Clarkson was born at Christchurch, New Zealand, on 20 February 1911, the son of a sheep farmer and meat exporter. He received his basic education at Christ's College, New Zealand, subsequently studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh, after which he entered Guy's Hospital Medical School on a scholarship. In 1933, at Guy's, he became an inter-hospital heavy-weight boxing champion. In addition, he represented his medical school at squash rackets.

Early career Clarkson won the Treasurer's Gold Medal in medicine and surgery and completed the Conjoint Diploma in 1935, subsequently qualifying with the FRCS a year later, and then MBBS in 1940. gaining further experience and forming links with American plastic surgeons. For these war time services, he was awarded the MBE. In 1953, after witnessing distressing burns in children, he established the Children's Burns Unit at Guy's.

Poland syndrome

Whilst at Guy’s in 1962, Clarkson described three people with breast hypoplasia and joining of fingers. His son later explained how his father discovered the 1841 work of Alfred Poland, and described it in further detail, subsequently coining the term “Poland syndactyly” in an article in the same journal as Arthur Poland’s original report. Five years later, P. Baudinne and colleagues named the condition "Poland syndrome".

Later life Clarkson took early retirement due to poor health, but continued to lecture, write and travel. Following a brief illness, he died at Guy's Hospital on 28 December 1969. An address in his memory was given by Sir Hedley Atkins at St Columba's Church, Pont Street, in January 1970.

Selected publications Books Fifield, Lionel Richard. Infections of the Hand. Editor of second edition. H. K. Lewis & Co. Ltd., London, 1939. The General and Plastic Surgery of the Hand, etc. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, 1962. (With Anthony Pelly)

Articles "Treatment of Jaw and Face Casualties in the British Army", Annals of Surgery, 123 (1946), 190–208. "Management and Surgical Resurfacing of Serious Burns", British Journal of Surgery, 1946, 33, 211–23. (with R. S. Lawrie) "Facial Injuries in Road Accidents", The Practitioner, 1948, 161, 396–405. "Thumb Reconstruction by Transfer of Big Toe", British Medical Journal, 1949, 2, 1334-4. (with R. J. Furlong) "Correction of Deformities of the Jaw", Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 1951, 8, 23–52. "Emergency Surgery in the Early Treatment of Burns and Scalds", The Practitioner, 1952, 168, 400. "The Care of Open Injuries of the Hand with Special Reference to the Treatment of Traumatic Amputations", Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 1955, 37A, 521. "Mobilization of the Medial Palm in the Treatment of Distal Hemi-amputation of the Hand", Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 1961, 28, 56–66. "The Aetiology of Dupuytren's disease", Guy's Hospital Reports, 1961, 110, 52.