To die in one's prime: The story of Paul Wood

Paul Wood, the leader of European cardiology during the mid-20th century, w as internationally admired for his bedside teaching, clinical investigation s, and an important textbook on cardiology. His studies, based on a unique quantitative approach to the grading and recording of clinical data, introd uced cardiac physiology to the bedside, brought accuracy to the preoperativ e assessment of cardiac disease, and became the foundation for much of our current understanding about congenital and rheumatic heart disease and pulm onary hypertension. At the bedside, in front of a crowd of postgraduate stu dents, registrars, and visitors, he was renowned for his showmanship and da zzling ability. His commanding personality-caustic, sarcastic, and combativ e-impressed many and offended some as he openly argued with himself and oth ers to sleuth out the correct diagnosis. His 1950 textbook, Diseases of the Heart and Circulation, characterized by his lucid and personal style of wr iting and a fresh physiologic approach to cardiology, brought Wood worldwid e recognition as the European authority on heart disease. The incessant dem ands to see patients, teach, and lecture, the burden of writing his third e dition of the book, and his heavy smoking eventually took their toll. On Ju ly 13, 1962, at the age of 54, Paul Wood, the gale force wind of British ca rdiology and the inspiration and role model for many students, died quietly following a myocardial infarction. He left a legacy of great accomplishmen ts as the transition figure between the old and modern era of cardiology. ( C) 2000 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.