Cyril Clarke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Cyril Clarke
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| Born | 22 August 1907 Leicester, England
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| Died | 21 November 2000 (aged 93) West Kirby, England
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| Alma mater | Gonville and Caius College and Guy's Hospital |
| Occupation | Professor of Medicine and consultant physician |
| Known for | Pioneering work on prevention of Rh disease, and genetics of Lepidoptera |
| Spouse(s) | Lady Frieda (or Féo) Clarke (m. 1935–1998) |
| Children | 3 sons: Miles, Charles, John |
| Awards | Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research (1980) Buchanan Medal (1990) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Medicine and genetics |
| Institutions | Liverpool University |
Sir Cyril Astley Clarke (born August 22, 1907 – died November 21, 2000) was a brilliant British doctor, scientist, and even a butterfly expert! He is famous for two big things: helping to prevent a serious blood disease in newborn babies called Rh disease, and for his amazing studies on the genetics of butterflies and moths. He received many honors for his important work, including being knighted.
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About Sir Cyril Clarke
Cyril Clarke was born in Leicester, England, in 1907. He went to school at Wyggeston Grammar School and Oundle School. His interest in butterflies and moths started when he was still at school.
He studied natural science at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. Later, he studied medicine at Guy's Hospital in London. During the Second World War, he worked as a medical specialist for the Royal Navy.
After the war, Clarke became a doctor at hospitals in Birmingham and Liverpool. In 1963, he became the Director of the Nuffield Unit of Medical Genetics at the University of Liverpool. Two years later, he became a Professor of Medicine. He worked in these roles until he retired in 1972. Even after retiring, he served as the President of the Royal College of Physicians.
Preventing Rh Disease
One of Sir Cyril Clarke's most important achievements was helping to develop a way to prevent Rh disease. This is a condition where a mother's blood can harm her baby's blood during pregnancy.
Clarke helped create a method where Rh-negative women receive special injections during pregnancy. These injections stop the mother's body from making harmful antibodies. This discovery was a huge step forward in preventive medicine in the 20th century. It has saved many babies' lives.
Studying Butterflies and Moths
Cyril Clarke also loved studying insects, especially butterflies and moths. He met another biologist, Philip Sheppard, through an insect magazine. They became friends and started working together.
From 1959, they used a special moth trap to study insects near West Kirby, England. They looked closely at the peppered moth, the scarlet tiger moth, and the swallowtail butterfly. They wrote many scientific papers about the genetics of these insects.
Even after he retired, Clarke continued his research. In 1988, he found a colony of scarlet tiger moths that Philip Sheppard had started in 1961. This colony was very helpful for understanding how animal populations change over time.
His Family
Cyril Clarke married Frieda (also known as Féo) in 1934. They had three sons. Lady Clarke passed away in 1998, and Sir Cyril Clarke died in 2000.
Sir Cyril's Achievements and Awards
Sir Cyril Clarke received many honors and awards for his important work.
- 1947 to 1958: Part-time Clinical Lecturer at Liverpool University.
- 1958 to 1965: Reader at Liverpool University.
- 1965 to 1972: Professor of Medicine at Liverpool University.
- 1969: Awarded the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
- 1970: Became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists.
- 1972 to 1977: Served as President of the Royal College of Physicians of London.
- 1974: Was Knighted by the Queen, which means he became "Sir Cyril Clarke."
- 1980: Received the prestigious Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research. He shared this award with other doctors for their groundbreaking work on preventing Rh disease.
- 1981: Awarded the Linnean Medal for his work in natural history.
- 1990: Received the Buchanan Medal from the Royal Society for his work on blood diseases in newborns.
See also
