George Frederic Still

Sir Frederic Still
Born	George Frederic Still (1868-02-27)27 February 1868
Died
Fields	Paediatrics
Known for	Still's disease Still's murmur

Sir George Frederic Still, KCVO (27 February 1868 –28 June 1941) was an English paediatrician and author of numerous medical textbooks and articles who first described a form of juvenile idiopathic arthritis as well as the common functional Still's murmur, both of which bear his name, as well as being the first to describe ADHD. He is frequently referenced as the "father of British paediatrics".

Early life

Still was born on 27 February 1868 in Highbury, London. He was the second of twelve children born to George Still and his wife, Eliza Still (née Andrew). To distinguish him from his father he was known by his middle name Frederic. He was the eldest child and only son to survive to adulthood.

He was awarded a scholarships to be educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, a boys public school in London. He was from a working class family who would otherwise have not been able to afford the fees. He was further awarded a scholarship to attended Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. He matriculated in 1885 and studied the Classical Tripos. He graduated with a first class Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1888. Following that he moved to King's College London School of Medicine graduating in 1893.

Background

File:George Frederic Still 28 Queen Anne Street blue plaque.jpg

Blue plaque, 28 Queen Anne Street, London

In 1897, he published his doctoral thesis describing a form of childhood febrile arthritis today known as Still's disease. He was also the one to initially describe the symptoms of ADHD (Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder). Other medical terms named after him include Still's murmur and Still's rash.

During most of his adult life, Still's avocation was reading works from antiquity in their original languages. He was fluent in Greek, Latin, Hebrew and Arabic. His choice of profession, however, was medicine and he devoted his life to pediatrics, writing prolifically about childhood diseases and serving as Secretary of the Children's Clinical Club. His life was dedicated to improving afflicted children's chance at survival, and particularly patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital. He was knighted upon retiring in 1937.

George Frederic Still died in Salisbury at the age of 73.

References

• Still, G. On a form of chronic joint disease in children. Medico-Chirurgical Transactions, London, 1897, 80: 47-59.
• Hamilton EB. George Frederic Still. Ann Rheum Dis. 1986 Jan;45(1):1-5. PMID 3513721

Still, GF "Some abnormal psychical conditions in children: The Goulstonian Lectures." The Lancet, 1902 1:1008-1012.

External links

• The Diseases of children (1910), by George Frederic Still
• George Frederic Still biographical data compiled from research sources indicated therein