David Whitteridge facts for kids

David Whitteridge (born 1912, died 1994) was a smart British doctor and scientist. He studied how the body works (a physiologist) and how electricity affects living things (an electrophysiologist). He was one of the first to show that tiny nerve endings in the body connect to specific spots in the brain. He famously said, "physiology equals anatomy plus thought."

About David Whitteridge

David Whitteridge was born in Croydon, London, on June 22, 1912. His father was Walter Whitteridge, and his mother was Jean Hortense Carouge, who was French. He went to school at Whitgift School.

His Education and Early Work

He studied science at Oxford University and earned his master's degree in 1934. Then, he studied medicine at Magdalen College, Oxford. He worked with a famous scientist named John Carew Eccles. David Whitteridge became a doctor in 1937.

He continued his research with Sir Charles Sherrington. They did experiments to understand how the brain works. He also studied how different medicines and gases affected the heart and brain. After his studies, he worked as a doctor at Finchley Memorial Hospital.

Working During World War II

During the Second World War, David Whitteridge helped soldiers with spinal injuries. He worked at Stoke Mandeville Hospital with Dr. Ludwig Guttmann. This hospital became very famous for helping people with these kinds of injuries.

His Research and Discoveries

In 1944, he became a teacher of physiology at Oxford University. He started working with other scientists, Sybil Cooper and Peter Maxwell Daniel. They studied the muscles that control eye movement. At the same time, he began making detailed maps of the brain. These maps showed how different parts of the brain were connected to specific body parts. This was a big step in understanding how our brains control our bodies.

In 1950, he became a professor of physiology at Oxford. This meant he was a very important leader in his field. In 1968, he became a Fellow of the university, taking over a special teaching position.

Honors and Later Life

David Whitteridge was recognized for his important work. In 1951, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This is a group of top scientists in Scotland. He was also elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1953. This is one of the oldest and most respected scientific groups in the world.

In 1984, he traveled to India after a big chemical accident called the Bhopal Disaster. He gave advice on how to help people with brain and nerve problems caused by the accident. Because of this, he became an honorary member of the Indian National Science Academy. He also received a special award called the Mahalanobis Medal.

David Whitteridge retired in 1979. He passed away in Oxford on June 15, 1994, at the age of 81. His students and colleagues, like Michael Gaze and Autar Singh Paintal, continued his important work in neuroscience.

His Family

In 1938, David Whitteridge married Dr. Gweneth Hutchings. She passed away in 1993. They had three children together.