341:, the scientist and writer, and the Diabetic Association was formed. When other countries followed suit it became the British Diabetic Association (the BDA). Lawrence was Chairman of the Executive Council from 1934–1961 and Hon. Life President from 1962. His enthusiasm and drive ensured the life and steady growth of this association which soon became the voice of people with diabetes and constantly sought to promote their welfare. There are now active branches through the country. He was also a prime mover in production of "The Diabetic Journal" (forerunner of Balance), the first issue of which appeared in January 1935. Many articles thereafter were contributed by himself anonymously. He and colleague Joseph Hoet were the main proponents in founding the
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was first published in 1925 and became immensely popular, extending to 14 editions and translated into many languages. He published widely on all aspects of diabetes and its management, producing some 106 papers either alone or with colleagues, including important publications on the management of
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and with great difficulty; drove across the continent and reached King's
College Hospital on 28 May 1923. Following some preliminary tests, he received his first insulin injection on 31 May. Lawrence's life was saved and he spent two months in hospital recovering and learning all about insulin. He
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He developed one of the earliest and largest diabetes clinics in the country and in 1931 was appointed assistant physician-in-charge of the diabetes department at King's
College Hospital, becoming full physician-in-charge in 1939. He also had a large private practice. He wrote profusely on his
156:, a four-storied granite terraced dwelling in a quiet tree-lined street in what was then an affluent middle-class area of the city. He was the second son of Thomas and Margaret Lawrence. His father was a prosperous brush manufacturer, whose firm supplied all the brushes to
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He is commemorated by an annual
Lawrence lecture given by a young researcher in the field of diabetes to the Medical & Scientific Section of the BDA and by the Lawrence Medal awarded to patients who have been on insulin for 60 years or more. The BDA, now
164:. At the age of ten, the family moved to a larger more imposing newly built granite building, 8 Rubislaw Den North, then on the outskirts of the town and now the most prestigious housing area in the city. He was within five minutes cycling distance of the
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In 1934, he conceived the idea of an association which would foster research and encourage education and welfare of patients. To this end a group of doctors and people with diabetes met in the London home of
Lawrence's patient,
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and ill-health, he managed to conduct enough research to write his MD thesis. A little later, in the expectation that he had only a short time to live, and not wishing to die at home causing upset to his family, he moved to
294:. Supplies were initially in short supply and slow to reach the UK, but in May 1923, Harrison cabled Lawrence – "I've got insulin – it works – come back quick". By this point, Lawrence was weak and disabled by
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in 1925–28. They remained lifelong friends meeting regularly when in each other's country. Best was present at
Lawrence's wedding to Doreen Nancy Batson on 7 September 1928. The Lawrences had three sons.
364:. Although he preached strict control of diabetes for his patients, he did not keep to a strict diet himself taking instead supplementary shots of soluble insulin as he judged he needed them.
195:. He had a brilliant undergraduate career winning gold medals in Anatomy (2), Clinical Medicine and Surgery and graduated "with honours" in 1916. During his second year, on the advice of his
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and was discharged with the final rank of captain. After a few weeks convalescing at home and fishing, he went to London and obtained the post of House
Surgeon in the Casualty Department at
180:. Throughout his school years, his name featured regularly for different events at the annual school sports including in 1907, second prize for the bizarre event "Sword Feats on Bicycle"!
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in 1920 and became an early recipient of insulin injections in the UK in 1923. He devoted his professional life to the care of people with diabetes and is remembered as the founder of the
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Lawrence, R. D. (1946). "Lipodystrophy and hepatomegaly with diabetes, lipaemia, and other metabolic disturbances; a case throwing new light on the action of insulin. (concluded)".
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Lawrence was initially controlled on a rigid diet and the eye infection settled, but was left permanently impaired vision in that eye. He abandoned the idea of a career in
234:. Six months later, being now accepted as a "King's Man", he became an assistant surgeon in the Ear, Nose and Throat Department. Shortly afterwards, while practising for a
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Lawrence, R. D. (1946). "Lipodystrophy and hepatomegaly, with diabetes, lipaemia, and other metabolic disturbances; a case throwing new light on the action of insulin".
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242:. He was hospitalised, but the infection failed to settle and he was discovered to have diabetes. At his age at this time; this represented a death sentence.
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was then appointed
Chemical Pathologist at King's College Hospital and devoted the rest of his life to the care and welfare of people living with diabetes.
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in
Toronto, was probably the proposer for this honour as he had met and become friendly with Lawrence when doing postgraduate research in London with
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which he attended from 1900–09. He had a good scholastic record but also excelled at sport. In his later years there, he represented the school at
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and he served as their first president from 1950–1958. At their triennial conferences, Lawrence's appearance was always greeted with acclaim.
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but his spirit remained indomitable and he continued seeing private patients to the end. His last publication was an account of how
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of London in 1946. His lecture was one of the earliest descriptions and detailed study of the rare condition now known as
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and worked in the King's
College Hospital Chemical Pathology Department under a Dr G. A. Harrison. Despite his gloomy
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but gave this up after just a few weeks, returning to
Aberdeen where he enrolled back at Aberdeen University to study
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Lawrence. R D (1967). "Hemiplegia in a Diabetic Producing Unilateral Peripheral Neuritis and Hypoglycaemic Attack".
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and set up in practice there. In the winter of 1922–23, his diabetes deteriorated badly after an attack of
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on a cadaver, he was chiselling the bone when a bone chip flew into his right eye setting up an unpleasant
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to take an MA in French and English. After graduation, he briefly worked in an uncle's drapery shop in
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Stowers, J.M. (1989), G P Milne (ed.), "Aberdeen: The History of Diabetic Research and Progress",
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Margaret and Charley: The Personal Story of Dr Charles Best, the Co- Discoverer of Insulin
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Jackson, J.G.L. (1996). "R.D. Lawrence and the Founding of the Diabetic Association".
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R.D. Lawrence, better known as Robin Lawrence was born at 10 Ferryhill Place,
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The Estimation of Diastase in Blood and Urine and its Diagnostic Significance
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10.1002/(SICI)1096-9136(199601)13:1<9::AID-DIA9>3.0.CO;2-P
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Aberdeen Medico-Chirurgical Society: A Bicentennial History 1789–1989
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the same year; Banting Lecturer of the BDA in 1949 and in 1964
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at King’s College Hospital, London. He was diagnosed with
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did much to simplify treatment for doctors and patients.
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He died at home in London on 27 August 1968 aged 76.
132:(18 November 1892 – 27 August 1968) was a British
222:and after six months home service, served on the
218:Upon graduation, Lawrence immediately joined the
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380:. He was recipient of the Banting Medal of the
290:, Canada, made the discovery and isolation of
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663:, Aberdeen University Press, pp. 212–26
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489:"Roll of Service in the Great War 1914–1919"
372:Lawrence was Oliver-Sharpey lecturer at the
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528:Lawrence, RD (1961). "Diabetes at King's".
461:Aberdeen Grammar School Magazines 1900–1909
226:Frontier until invalided home in 1919 with
388:conferred on him its LLD "honoris causa".
183:He matriculated aged eighteen and went to
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495:, Aberdeen University Press, p. 253
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199:professor he sat and passed the primary
805:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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801:"Lawrence, Robert Daniel (1892–1968)"
881:20th-century Scottish medical doctors
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267:and the end of his life seemed nigh.
110:early recipient of insulin injections
896:Alumni of the University of Aberdeen
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325:, on the treatment of diabetes and
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901:Health professionals from Aberdeen
748:. Toronto, Canada: Dundurn Press.
493:Aberdeen University Studies No. 84
102:at King’s College Hospital, London
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343:International Diabetes Federation
517:, MD Thesis, Aberdeen University
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417:R. D. Lawrence plaque, Aberdeen
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530:Kings College Hospital Gazette
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447:Aberdeen Directories 1892–1919
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429:remains his lasting memorial.
130:Robert "Robin" Daniel Lawrence
41:Robert "Robin" Daniel Lawrence
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836:. Diabetes UK. Archived from
723:10.1016/s0140-6736(46)91599-1
688:10.1016/s0140-6736(46)90528-4
638:10.1016/S0140-6736(67)91612-1
559:10.1016/S0140-6736(68)92449-5
487:Allardyce, M.D., ed. (1921),
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382:American Diabetes Association
360:exaggerated the signs of his
348:Almost immediately after his
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142:British Diabetic Association
122:British Diabetic Association
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891:People with type 1 diabetes
834:"RD Lawrence Lecture Award"
807:. Oxford University Press.
474:Roll of Graduates 1907–1925
374:Royal College of Physicians
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543:"R.D. Lawrence Obituary".
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232:King's College Hospital
166:Aberdeen Grammar School
813:10.1093/ref:odnb/56893
591:10.1136/bmj.3.5618.621
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308:subject and his books
22:Robert Daniel Lawrence
886:Chemical pathologists
585:(5618): 621–2. 1968.
513:Lawrence, RD (1922),
476:, Aberdeen University
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378:Lipoatrophic Diabetes
799:Pyke, David (2004).
744:Best, H M B (2003).
682:(6403): 724 passim.
392:, then professor of
246:Living with diabetes
632:(7503): 1321–1322.
553:(7567): 579. 1968.
329:and on the care of
296:peripheral neuritis
185:Aberdeen University
176:and won prizes for
840:on 14 October 2013
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386:Toronto University
303:Diabetes physician
771:Diabetic Medicine
717:(6404): 773–775.
318:The Diabetic Life
310:The Diabetic Life
272:Frederick Banting
236:mastoid operation
160:and her heirs at
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280:James Collip
276:Charles Best
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116:Notable work
71:(1968-08-27)
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876:1968 deaths
871:1892 births
777:(1): 9–22.
427:Diabetes UK
362:hemiparesis
339:H. G. Wells
88:Nationality
865:Categories
844:12 October
818:12 October
625:The Lancet
546:The Lancet
499:12 October
433:References
402:A. V. Hill
394:physiology
350:retirement
265:bronchitis
148:Early life
47:1892-11-18
331:pregnancy
256:prognosis
240:infection
228:dysentery
134:physician
120:founder,
100:physician
731:20986113
696:20982387
261:Florence
193:Medicine
178:swimming
162:Balmoral
154:Aberdeen
138:diabetes
59:Scotland
55:Aberdeen
646:4165164
609:4875647
600:1991182
368:Honours
292:insulin
288:Toronto
252:surgery
197:anatomy
189:Glasgow
174:cricket
91:British
81:England
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711:Lancet
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676:Lancet
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354:stroke
224:Indian
213:tennis
209:hockey
205:London
77:London
170:rugby
846:2013
820:2013
750:ISBN
727:PMID
692:PMID
642:PMID
605:PMID
501:2013
400:and
312:and
282:and
220:RAMC
211:and
201:FRCS
172:and
66:Died
37:Born
809:doi
779:doi
719:doi
684:doi
634:doi
630:289
595:PMC
587:doi
578:BMJ
555:doi
551:292
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