Col desmond whyte

About this work. Physical description 1 file. Biographical note Museum Acq. Where to find it. Location Status Access Closed stores. Request item. Permanent link. Page URL. Finding us:. When Altnagelvin opened he realised it would be the major hospital outside Belfast and it would have a valuable function in teaching and training all health care staff.

He rapidly set about establishing a post-graduate medical education centre and library, followed by the school of radiography. The school soon became notable for its excellence and high standard of training offered and Whyte took much pride in celebrating the ongoing success of the students and their tutors.

He was always personally involved in teaching and he enjoyed tutoring doctors for higher diplomas in medicine, surgery, radiology and anaesthetics. He set very high personal standards in his work.

He pioneered the introduction of open access radiography for general practitioners to ensure patients got X-rays quickly and he was in the forefront of the development of interventional techniques in radiology.

He would never leave his department, no matter how late the hour, until all radiographs of the day had been reported on. In retirement, he paid close and admiring attention to the further development of the department of radio-diagnosis. His professional diligence and determination was undoubtedly influenced by his experience in the Royal Army Medical Corps. As a lieutenant colonel working behind enemy lines in Burma in , he practiced under conditions of extreme deprivation and danger.

A fellow officer, Richard Rhodes James, in his book Chindit London, Sphere, wrote of Whyte: "Doc Whtye worked all through the day and most of the night still whistling to himself Moonlight becomes you , and still hopelessly out of tune. He used to go about clad only in the briefest of loin-cloths and carrying his carbine. The development of the school with Tom Lee, the superintendent radiographer, was one of his greatest achievements. It was run on military lines, particularly with regard to punctuality, turn-out and decorum, especially in relation to patients.

The radiographers of his school were very successful in their examinations. They are renowned as being highly trained and competent and have been appointed to many hospitals throughout the UK and Ireland. He was an active member of the Ulster Radiological Society and its president in He was a regular contributor and never failed to make stimulating presentations resourced from his huge practice.

These were delivered in his renowned style with erudition, punctuated by a disarming slight stutter. He was most generous in providing a loan or copies of some magnificent cases for teaching files. It is very much regretted that due to his hospital and other local commitments he was unable to make a greater contribution to the Faculty of Radiologists of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland but for many years he was a regular attender at the annual meeting and dinner at which he was very popular with his many friends.

Colonel Whyte made many outstanding contributions to the community, especially in his own city.