Pickerill: pioneer in plastic surgery, dental education and dental research

  • H. Brown
New Zealand: Otago University Press price £27.50; pp 272 ISBN 9781877372469 | ISBN: 978-1-8773-7246-9

This fascinating biography of Henry Percy Pickerill by Harvey Brown, formerly Editor of the New Zealand Dental Journal, gives a detailed insight into the life and times of an extraordinary person.

Pickerill, born 1879 in Hereford, graduated BDS at Birmingham University in 1904 and completed his medical degree in 1905. His time at Birmingham identified him as a future leader as he was elected President of the Guild where he did not shirk confrontation with authority. He married Mabel Knott in 1906 whilst working in dental practice and the family emigrated to New Zealand in 1907, following an advert for the Director of the newly founded Otago Dental School where he was awarded a chair at the age of 27, thus starting an eminent academic career. A curious situation had evolved as the New Zealand Dental Association had very close management links with the School which created tensions between both organisations due to differing agendas, a problem which caused Pickerill considerable anguish and was responsible for him leaving Otago in 1927. However, whilst he was there he conducted considerable research into the causes of tooth decay and investigated preventative measures. To try and resolve the conflicts apart from being Dean he was secretary of the Dental Association and Editor of the NZDJ.

In the First World War Pickerill joined the army and as a Lieutenant Colonel commanded the facial and jaw section of the Royal New Zealand Dental Corps, where he specialised in plastic surgery to rehabilitate wounded soldiers. He worked with Gillies, and reading some of the correspondence it appears that some antagonism existed between the two, indeed there is some dispute over who was the first recognised Australasian plastic surgeon. This cantankerous attitude seems to have dogged Pickerill's career – which adds a touch of spice to the narrative.

After war service he returned to Otago, but resigned as Dean and emigrated to Sydney, leaving his wife and four children, and after four years divorced Mabel and married his SHO, Cecily Clarkson. She was also a plastic surgeon and was awarded a DBE in 1977, whilst Pickerell had been awarded a CBE and an OBE. Whilst in Sydney they were ahead of their time in the way they operated on cleft lips and palates.

He always retained close ties with England and on his death in 1956, aged 77, his ashes were scattered on the River Wye near Hereford.

This work has been brilliantly researched with 20 pages of references, however, perhaps it delves into too much detail, so that the substantial achievements of this interesting man tend to be buried by some of the more trivial aspects within his life.

Nonetheless, this attractively produced and well illustrated book can be recommended to those interested in maxillofacial surgery, dental research, dental politics and dental history.