| Description | Robert William Johnstone was born in Newington, Edinburgh in 1879 to Robert Johnstone – a professor in divinity – and Janet B Johnstone, both of whom were from Lanarkshire. He attended George Watson’s College and obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Edinburgh in 1900. He graduated MB, CHB in 1903, obtaining honours in all subjects. He studied obstetrics and gynaecology in Vienna and Prague, and in 1906 he presented his MD thesis, receiving honours. He also became both a member and a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh that year.
He was an assistant before he became the clinical tutor in gynaecology at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh in 1912. During the first world war he was medical officer of the Royal Victoria Hospital, and commissioned in the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1917. He also later worked in the Ministry of National Service. He was demobbed in 1919.
He was appointed CBE in 1920. He lectured in midwifery and gynaecology at the royal colleges. He became an assistant physician at the Royal Maternity Hospital, and in 1922 assistant gynaecologist at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh. In 1926 he was appointed to the chair of midwifery and diseases of women, and retained this position until 1946. He was a foundation fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and vice-president 1936-1939 and president of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh 1943-1945. For some years he was also chairman of the Central Midwives Board for Scotland. He retired in 1946 and was appointed emeritus professor following which he was made an honorary Doctor of Divinity in 1950.
Following his retirement, he served on the University Court and various positions as chairman including on the Central Midwives Board for Scotland. During his career he published a number of works, including the Textbook of Midwifery from 1913 until its 21st edition and ‘William Smellie, the Master of British Midwifery’ in 1952. He died on 27 November 1969. He had two daughters and two sons, and was predeceased by his wife, Jean.
Contents: Printed retirement speech by R W Johnstone, with an accompanying poem by Ernest Fahmy, 1946. |