ABSTRACT
Donald Lascelles Crombie began work as a general practitioner in 1946 in Harborne, Birmingham, and continued to work there until his retirement in 1989. Crombie remained a director of the facility until his retirement in 1992 and continued to act as a consultant advisor until his death. Crombie was inspired by Professor Lancelot Thomas Hogben, who was involved with medical statistics at the University of Birmingham, and, in 1957, with Robin Pinsent, the then chair of the College of General Practitioners Research Committee, Crombie set up a research unit in Birmingham. Medical literature was aided greatly by Crombie. He was involved in large studies on diabetes, mental health and outcomes of pregnancies. In 1971, Crombie delivered the 18th James Mackenzie Lecture entitled ‘Cum sciencia caritas’ which is the motto of the Royal College of General Practitioners, meaning ‘Science with compassion’. He was awarded the Baron Dr Ver Heyden De Lancey Memorial Award in 1982 and the Kuenssberg Prize in 1998.
