Rewell, Dr Reginald Elson

Reginald Elson Rewell was a consultant pathologist based in Liverpool. 'Rex', the son of a schoolmaster, was born in Thornton Heath in Surrey. He received his early schooling from his father and was then educated at Whitgift. He went on to London University and Guy's Hospital, graduating in 1941. After house jobs in Southampton, and under the influence and guidance of George Payling Wright, he became a trainee in pathology at Guy's Hospital. He obtained the MRCP in 1942 and his MD in 1943 with the aim of being graded a specialist in pathology when called up. However he was rejected for military service because of his poor eyesight and continued to work in the Guy's Hospital Sector, then based at Farnborough.

In 1945 he was appointed pathologist/parasitologist to the Zoological Society of London. Later he became an examiner in pathology for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and was elected a scientific fellow of the Zoological Society. Although he loved his work at London Zoo, and published some thirty papers, mostly on comparative anatomy and veterinary pathology, the post paid only a modest honorarium and he sought an appointment in the newly established National Health Service.

In 1950 he was appointed consultant pathologist to the United Liverpool Hospitals and given charge of the laboratories at Liverpool Maternity Hospital, the Women's Hospital and Liverpool Children's Hospital. He was also a lecturer in clinical pathology at the University of Liverpool.

In 1956 he was made a visiting professor of pathology at the National Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Madras under the Colombo plan.

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