William Blair-Bell

William Blair-Bell
William Blair-Bell in 1931. Note the missing second finger of his left hand, which he lost when it was pricked by a needle whilst operating, leading to an infection and ultimately gangrene, necessitating amputation.
Born
William Blair Bell

(1871-09-28)28 September 1871
Died25 January 1936(1936-01-25) (aged 64)
in a train near Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England
NationalityBritish
EducationKing's College School
Known forCo-founding the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
SpouseFlorence Bell
AwardsFRCS
Scientific career
FieldsObstetrics
Gynaecology
InstitutionsUniversity of Liverpool, Liverpool Royal Infirmary

William Blair-Bell FRCS (28 September 1871 in Rutland House, New Brighton – 25 January 1936 in Shrewsbury) was a British medical doctor and gynaecologist who was most notable as the founder of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 1929. Blair-Bell was considered the greatest gynaecologist of the 20th century, raising it from what was then a branch of general surgery into a separate medical specialism.

He was the subject of a biography by Sir John H. Peel.