Record

CollectionGB 0231 University of Aberdeen, Special Collections
LevelSub-sub-series
Ref NoMS 3270/2/4/4
Title'Anatomy of the Human Body'
Date1958 - 1979
Extent1 file, 1 volume
Administrative History"Anatomy of the Human Body"
"Anatomy of the Human Body" (London: Faber, 1959) was a landmark medical text, providing medical students with clear narrative and accompanying illustrations in a single volume for the first time. It was quickly adopted as a standard teaching text and republished many times (second edition, 1966) in four languages.

Following the success of 'Living Anatomy: a photographic atlas of muscles in action and surface contours' (London: Faber, 1948), Lockhart was promoted by Faber as first author. However, his departmental colleagues and co-authors, Forest Fyfe (1913 - 2001) and Gilbert Hamilton (1913 - 1974) also contributed significant bodies of text to the book and a protracted disagreement over titles and authorship arose prior to its publication. The disagreement was resolved after much negotiation and the three men were able to resume amicable working relationships before the second edition was published in 1966. Fyfe left the department in 1956 to take up the post of Professor of Anatomy in Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada, remaining here until his retirement in 1978. Hamilton remained in the Anatomy Department in the University of Aberdeen until his early death in 1974.

The book was illustrated by Alberto Morrocco (1917 - 1998), who had studied at Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen, 1932 - 1938. After army service, 1940-1946, Morrocco resumed his painting and worked as an illustrator, until he was appointed Head of Painting at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee.

Forest Fyfe (1913 - 2001)
Forest Fyfe graduated from the University of Aberdeen MA 1933 and M.B., Ch.B. 1937. He worked as a house surgeon in London and Lancashire, before joining the University's Anatomy department as assistant, 1939, and, lecturer, 1941 - 1955. In 1956 he left Aberdeen to take up the post of Professor of Anatomy at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, where he remained until his retirement in 1978. He worked on 'Anatomy of the Human Body' with Lockhart and Hamilton during his time as lecturer in anatomy at Aberdeen, and contributed to subsequent editions and imprints from his new home in Canada. He served on the [Canadian] Dental Research Committee of the National Research Council and the Medical Research Council and was an early worker in the use of electron microscopy in the medical field. His personal interests included photography, music and classics. He married Elizabeth Stewart BSc Aberdeen (1940) in 1943 and had three sons and two daughters: one of his sons, Forest M. Fyfe ['Mac'] is based in the Physics department of Dalhousie University.

Gilbert Frewin Hamilton (1913 - 1974)
Gilbert Frewin Hamilton was born in West Calder in 1913, the son of Brown H. Hamilton (MA Edinburgh), HM Inspector of Schools. (BSc 1933, MB) . He graduated from the University of Aberdeen BSc 1933, MB, Ch.B. 1938 and in 1938 was appointed assistant in the Department of Anatomy. He became senior lecturer in 1948 and excepting a period as visiting Professor of Anatomy at Marquette University, remained in the Department until his death in 1974. With his Aberdeen colleagues, Robert Lockhart and Forest Fyfe, he was co-author of the medical text book, 'Anatomy of the Human Body'. He married Margaret W. Monro (MA Aberdeen, 1934) in September 1939 and had one son, Richard Hamilton, who lives in America. Margaret Hamilton, a schools language teacher in Aberdeen, became actively involved with Indian music and song in her retirement. She died in June 2004.
DescriptionPresentation copy of 'Anatomy of the Human Body' (1959); annotated copy of same, containing corrections for second imprint (1966);correspondence with Faber and Faber, 1958 - 1979; editorial notes, 1959; illustrations, c 1958; offprints and annotations, 1958; reviews (first edition), 1959 - 1962; reviews (second edition), 1966.
Access StatusOpen
Access ConditionsAccess to the correspondence in MS 3270/2/4/4/2 restricted under the terms of its deposit. Researchers wishing access should apply to the Senior Curator, Special Libraries and Archives, outlining the nature of their enquiry. Other records are open, subject to signature accepting conditions of use at reader registration sheet.
Related MaterialPapers of Gilbert Frewin Hamilton (1913 - 1974) have recently been deposited in the University (ACC 078). The papers have yet to be catalogued but may be made available to researchers by prior agreement.

F.W. Fyfe's obituary of Lockhart (MS 3270/4/4) contains further background information on the writing and publication of 'Anatomy of the Human Body.'
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