Priscilla Kincaid-Smith

Priscilla Sheath Kincaid-Smith, Mrs. Fairley, AC, CBE (30 November 1926 – 18 July 2015), was an Australia-based South African physician and researcher, specializing in nephrology. She was a past President of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (1986-1988; first woman Councillor in 1976), World Medical Association and International Society of Nephrology (1972-75).

Background

Kincaid-Smith was born in Johannesburg in 1926^[1] and studied medical science at the University of the Witwatersrand in there. She earned her BSc (Hons) in 1946 and her BMBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) in 1950. She was awarded a DSc by the University of the Witwatersrand in 1979. From 1951–53, she worked at Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg, holding resident positions in Medicine and Surgery and Registrar in Medicine.^[2] She died on 18 July 2015 at the age of 88.^[1]

Career

• Director of Nephrology, Royal Melbourne Hospital (1967–91)
• Professor of Medicine, University of Melbourne (1975–91)
• Physician in Nephrology, Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne (1976–91)

Research

In the early 1960s Kincaid-Smith demonstrated evidence of the links between headache powders containing phenacetin (sold as Bex in Australia) and kidney cancer,^[3] and campaigned strongly against the use of such powders. She also contributed to research on links between high blood pressure and renal malfunction.^[4]

Honours

• On 14 June 1975, she was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire "for services to medicine".
• In 1989 she was awarded the David Hume Award from the National Kidney Foundation (USA).
• In 1989 became a Companion of the Order of Australia.

Affiliations

Kincaid-Smith was President of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (1986–88), as well as past president of the World Medical Association, and International Society of Nephrology. She was a Member of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.

Family

Dr Kincaid-Smith married Dr Ken Fairley, also a medical doctor, in London in 1958.^[2] They had three children, the twin boys Stephen and Christopher, who became a gastroenterologist and an infectious disease epidemiologist. Their later born daughter Jascenth studied veterinary medicine and moved to the USA where she worked as a manager in the pharmaceutical industry. Their offspring produced eight grandchildren.

Ken Fairley, was in London training in cardiology. Ken's father and all his father's four brothers were doctors. One of his uncles was Sir Neil Hamilton Fairley, famous in the field of malaria. The family was Australian-based, but Neil became professor at the Tropical School in London. His two sons also became doctors, of whom Gordon was killed by an Irish bomb in 1975.

Ken and Priscilla met in May 1958, got engaged in June and married in July. They moved to Australia at the end of the year when both were aged 31. He had spent four years in London, training with Paul Wood at the National Heart Hospital, and was just about to return to Australia when they met.

Death

Dr Kincaid-Smith died on 18 July 2015, aged 88, surrounded by family at her home in Melbourne, Australia from complications following a stroke.^[5]

References

External links

• The Lancet
• The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Leadership webpage
• Priscilla Kincaid-Smith remembered, abc.net.au, 21 July 2015.