A R Norton  DM, FRCPSYCH

                                  

Dr Alan Norton, formerly consultant psychiatrist at Bexley and Lewisham hospitals, died on 12th June 1985 aged 74.

Alan Ralph Norton was brought up in a general practitioner's house in Kennington, south London, the son, grandson, and brother of doctors.   He was educated at Rossall and Queen's College, Oxford, where he took a first in physiology in 1934.   His clinical training was at St Thomas's Hospital, where he graduated BM, BCh in 1937.   He had already been interested in psychiatry, stimulated by the poor attitudes adopted by some of the doctors of the time to their patients.   His early experience in psychiatry was at Bethlem Royal Hospital in the last years before the war.   From 1941 to 1946 he served in the Royal Air Force in general and neuro psychiatric duties, and after being demobilised he had brief periods at the National Hospital,  Queen Square, and St Thomas's.   A longer spell followed at the London Hospital in the department of Dr Henry Wilson.

In 1951 Alan was appointed consultant at Bexley Hospital and Lewisham Hospital, the post in which he served until he retired and where he came to be so highly and affectionately regarded.   Applying the highest intellectual standards dictated by his always alert curiosity and wide reading, a man of wise judgement and unfailingly courteous, generous, helpful, and conscientious, he was held in the highest esteem 

by colleagues, and patients.   He always had time to talk to someone who wanted to see him, be it patient or friend.   He used new methods of treatment judiciously and then enthusiastically.   When reflecting and writing on medical matters he had a scholarly turn of mind , producing several publications usually based on painstaking collection of information and covering many different subjects:   a doctorate on the statisticsof 500 patients;  a study of the changing populations of mental hospitals;   a book, The New Dimensionsof Medicine;  and until recently, leading articles for this journal. 

Alan worked hard and seriously but was notable for his huge capacity to enjoy life and to radiate this enjoyment warmly.   He loved, and was gifted at friendship, conversation, cooking flower arranging, photography, and travel.   He was extremely happily married for 40 years to Patricia, who has been a health

service journalist and survives him with, their three daughters and eight grandchildren.  

ACS