Dr James Straton
16/03/1915 to 20/02/2001
Place of birth: Eastleigh, Hampshire, England
Nationality: British
CRN: 529785
Education and qualifications
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General education |
Clayesmore School, Blandford Forum, Dorset 1926-32. Edinburgh University Medical School 1932-38. |
|---|---|
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Primary medical qualification(s) |
MB ChB, Edinburgh, 1938 |
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Initial Fellowship and type |
FFARCS by Election |
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Year of Fellowship |
1953 |
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Other qualification(s) |
DA (RCP&S), 1947 |
Professional life and career
Postgraduate career
After graduating in medicine, Straton was Ship’s Surgeon on the Blue Funnel Line from August 1938 to March 1939, followed immediately by being House Surgeon at Chalmers Hospital in Edinburgh. In September 1939 he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) as a Surgeon Lieutenant and remained in that service throughout the Second World War. From September 1945 he served as Surgeon Lieut-Commander in the Royal Navy until demobilised in February 1946. He then returned to Edinburgh to work as a rehabilitation anaesthetist at the Royal Infirmary, passing the DA examinations in January 1947. In April 1947 he was appointed Consultant Anaesthetist at the Edinburgh Corporation Hospitals. The following year his appointment came under the Northern Hospitals Board, Edinburgh and he worked mainly at the Eastern General Hospital (EGH) until his retirement in March 1976.
Professional interests and activities
In his first 13 years at the EGH Straton was the lead anaesthetist for the cardio-thoracic surgery unit there. From December 1950 he provided the anaesthetic support for over 700 mitral valvotomies, performed by Andrew Logan, who became famous for his development of this surgery, using a mitral valve dilator. Straton analysed records of the valvotomies collated from Nosworthy cards, showing a success rate a little better than figures published by other centres, but he did not publish this work. In 1961 the cardiothoracic surgery unit was transferred to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, but Straton remained at the EGH to serve the general surgery, obstetric and gynaecological units. Through 1956-58 he was Secretary for the Association of Anaesthetists of Edinburgh and he served as its President for 1961-62
Other biographical information
Straton married Emily Silk, a nurse, in 1941 and they had four children. For most of his adult life he was interested in photography, woodworking and angling. On retirement he moved to the Scottish Borders where he indulged in gardening and fly fishing. He was survived by his wife, four children and nine grandchildren.
Author and sources
Author: Dr Alistair McKenzie
Sources and comments:
[1] Dr Straton’s self submitted biographical college “Boulton form” dated 1988.
[2] Loudon J. Obituary. BMJ 2001; 323: 113.
[3] McKenzie AG. Edinburgh anaesthetists who facilitated the progress of early cardiac surgery. Anaesthesia News 2022; 425: 8-9. Image provided by James Straton’s daughter, Rhoda Purcell