Archives of Disease in Childhood, 1986, 61, 635-636 James Spence Medallist, 1986 Sir Peter Tizard The James Spence Medal was presented to Sir Peter Tizard on 16 April 1986 by Professor J 0 Forfar, President of the British Paediatric Association, who gave the following citation: The James Spence Medal is awarded for outstand- ing contributions to the advancement or clarification of paediatric knowledge and is the highest award the British Paediatric Association (BPA) can confer. The recipient in 1986 is Sir Peter Tizard. Peter Tizard was born with two advantages. Firstly, he was born into a scientific environment, the son of a distinguished scientist. Secondly, he was born on April 1, an event that doubtless stimulated him to discount the presumption that the uncharit- able might make in respect of that birth date. Sir Peter was educated at Rugby, Oriel College, Oxford, and the Middlesex Hospital: he served in the army for four years, returning to pursue a career in paediatrics that led him from Great Ormond Street to St Mary's Hospital, Queen Square, and Harvard. In 1954 he was-appointed Reader in Paediatrics to the Institute of Child Health and Honorary Consul- tant Paediatrician to Hammersmith Hospital. Ten years later, jointly within the Institute and Royal Postgraduate Medical School, he was appointed to the first Chair of Paediatrics to Hammersmith Hospital. In 1972 he was appointed to the newly created Chair of Paediatrics to the University of Oxford, retiring from that post in 1983. It would, I think, be fair to say that in this country Sir Peter is one of the outstanding paediatricians, perhaps the outstanding paediatrician, of his time. Within pa'ediatrics he has made important academic contributions to neonatology and paediatric neurol- ogy. At Hammersmith he did much to build up an academic neonatal unit that pioneered and estab- lished neonatl paediatrics in this country and exemplified the scientific basis on which such units should develop. At Oxford he further developed paediatrics in the twin disciplines of neonatology and neurology, creating a coordinated academic unit of international renown. In the wider field of child health Sir Peter has proved himself a national leader of paediatric thought and action. During his Presidency of the BPA the Association achieved an enhanced national importance and status. He set about establishing links with the many organisations with which paediatrics must relate if a truly comprehensive child health service is to be created; he played an important part in establishing the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit and he represented our Associa- tion with distinction at home and abroad. In addition to his academic and executive abilities Peter has a unique capacity for forthright expression and ability to discount cant and humbug. He is by nature a scholar, a philosopher, and a man of humour. These personal qualities are represented in his favourite authors Dr Johnson and Lord Macaulay, representing precision, authority, and men of letters, and Jane Austen and P G Wode- house, representing humour and understanding of human nature: all four masters in the use of the English language. Sir Peter's record as teacher, researcher, and 635 o n A p ril 5 , 2 0 2 1 b y g u e st. P ro te cte d b y co p yrig h t. h ttp ://a d c.b m j.co m / A rch D is C h ild : first p u b lish e d a s 1 0 .1 1 3 6 /a d c.6 1 .7 .6 3 5 o n 1 Ju ly 1 9 8 6 . D o w n lo a d e d fro m http://adc.bmj.com/ 636 James Spence Medallist, 1986 leader of paediatric thought has been widely recog- nised. He has been invited to give at least 15 named guest lectures. He is an honorary or corresponding member of at least a dozen national paediatric societies. He has been the Dawson Williams Prize- man of the British Medical Association. He is a Past Master of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries. He was knighted in 1982. A previous Spence Medallist of this Association was the late Dr D W Winnicott who on account of the contribution to paediatrics that he recognised Sir Peter to be making gave his Spence Medal to Sir Peter. Sir Peter has suggested, and the Association has agreed, that that medal should have Sir Peter's name added to it and presented to him today. This must be the first occasion on which the Spence Medal and Bar has been awarded. Sir Peter, in recognition ofyourmany achievements and with a sense of great affection and respect, the Association awards you the Spence Medal. James Spence Medallists Professor A A Moncrieff Professor R A McCance Sir F Macfarlane Burnet Professor L S Penrose Dr Cicely D Williams Professor R R A Coombs Dr Mary D Sheridan Dr D W Winnicott Dr G S Dawes Professor D V Hubble Dr W W Payne Dr R C Mac Keith 1973 1974 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 Professor C A Clarke Dr J Bowlby Dr D M T Gairdner Professor R S Illingworth Dr S D M Court Professor K W Cross Professor J M Tanner Dr Elsie M Widdowson Dr D MacCarthy Professor J 0 Forfar Dr J W B Douglas Dr N S Gordon 1960 1961 1963 1964 1965 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 o n A p ril 5 , 2 0 2 1 b y g u e st. P ro te cte d b y co p yrig h t. h ttp ://a d c.b m j.co m / A rch D is C h ild : first p u b lish e d a s 1 0 .1 1 3 6 /a d c.6 1 .7 .6 3 5 o n 1 Ju ly 1 9 8 6 . D o w n lo a d e d fro m http://adc.bmj.com/