William George Cross

The profession has lost a distinguished member with the death of George Cross, after a long illness, on January 18 2000, aged 83 years.

Educated at Lancing College and Guy's Hospital, he qualified in dentistry in 1939 and medicine in 1942, serving during the war in the RAFVR Medical Branch.

On demobilisation George combined part-time teaching at Guy's with private practice and with others did early research on the oral uses of penicillin.

He took the MS of the University of London, there being no MDS at that time and was the only dental graduate ever to do so. In 1948 he was appointed to the Institute of Dental Surgery and the Eastman Dental Hospital as the first Head of the Department of Periodontology and soon established the first regular courses in periodontology in the United Kingdom.

In 1949 the BDJ published a letter from George Cross suggesting the need for a periodontal society. Wilfred Fish and Gerald Leatherman responded and the British Society of Periodontology (BSP) was formed later that year. George was the first Secretary becoming President in 1956 and an Honorary Member in 1980. Sadly he was too unwell to attend the 50th anniversary celebrations of the BSP in May 1999.

George combined practice with his work at the Eastman and in 1960 became a part time consultant, subsequently moving in 1970 to the Royal Dental Hospital. In 1976 he retired to Christchurch running a practice there until 1984. He was elected a Fellow in Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1983.

George was a committed livery man of the Worshipful Company of Barber Surgeons being elected its Master in 1982.

Dentistry was only one of his talents. An accomplished linguist, he was capable of lecturing in French, Italian, Greek and Turkish. George was not idle in retirement and was, aged 77, awarded a BA (Hons) in French and Italian by the University of London.

He was an accomplished silversmith having his own hallmark and was a Fellow of the Gemmological Association.

George Cross married twice. He is survived by a daughter and a son of his first marriage and by Jeanne his second wife since 1970 who cared for George so selflessly during his illness. The profession will wish to sympathise with them in their loss.

J.D.S.

Geoffrey Slaney Hoggins

Geoffrey Slaney Hoggins, consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon, died on January 4 2000, aged 84.

'Geoff' as he was affectionately known by colleagues throughout the hospital service in the Midlands, was educated at Bedford School, King Edward's School Birmingham, and Birmingham University. He qualified LDS (Birm) in 1937. BDS followed in 1946, and FDSRCS (Eng) in 1949.

Before he retired he held consultant appointments at three hospitals, the Children's and Selly Oak Hospitals in Birmingham, and Walsall General Hospital. Together these represented a heavy load, but hospital work was Geoff's life, and he enjoyed it. He was always kind and caring towards his patients and his junior staff.

In 1940 he volunteered for service in the Army Dental Corps spending five years overseas with various medical units under Middle East and India commands. He returned to England in 1945, and was demobilised in 1946, with the rank of major. He then became surgeon in charge of the General Anaesthetic Department at Birmingham Dental Hospital until 1953. Many of the older Birmingham graduates will remember with gratitude his teaching of safe dental extractions under general anaesthesia for out-patients. In those days this was a normal procedure in general dental practice.

Geoff was an enthusiastic member of many professional societies including the BDA, with the Hospitals branch, the Oral Surgery Club of Great Britain and Birmingham Medical Institute, of which he was president of the Odontological section in 1962. He was a founder fellow of the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons, and a founder member of the Midland Clinical Club, and past president.

He published several papers describing rare and interesting conditions he found in the course of his professional career. Apart from his work, he had great enthusiasm for art, motor cars, wine, and above all for the restoration of antique clocks.

When he returned to England in 1945, Geoff married Mary Isobel Prince, a girl who had been in the same academic year as himself. Sadly 'Molly', as she was always called, died after a short illness in 1971. Geoff slowly recovered, and in 1973 married Mary Eileen McShane who was consultant anaesthetist to Walsall hospitals. Incredibly, after only 12 years she also died in 1985. But in spite of these tragedies Geoff still had a good life and the best years of the Health Service.

He leaves two daughters, Jane and Sarah, by his first marriage, and three grand- children.

J.K.

DEATH NOTICE

Jeffrey Charles Farrow (BDS London) died on March 27 2000, aged 74.