Lawrence, John Stewart (1908-1996)

The following is an interim description which may change when detailed cataloguing takes place in future:

Research notes, published and unpublished writings and administrative correspondence relating to various epidemiological surveys and other research projects; samples of survey forms and other documentation.

c.1950s-1990s

19 transfer boxes; 6 files

These records were donated to the library at Wellcome Collection in 1997 by Lawrence's daughter.

Lawrence was an epidemiologist who specialised in the study of the frequency and causes of arthritis. He qualified in medicine from the University of Edinburgh in 1930. He went on to hold a variety of posts at the Livingstone Institute in Edinburgh, in general practice in Kent, at the Liverpool Heart Hospital, East Ham Memorial Hospital, the St. John Clinic in Pimlico, St. Stephen's Hospital, Fulham, Plumstead Hospital and Haymeads Emergency Medical Service Hospital, amongst others, before serving with the RAF from 1946-1948. In addition he co-authored two books on sulfonamides.

In 1948 Lawrence began the research for which he is best known when he was appointed Physician-in-Charge of the Miners' Welfare Rheumatism Survey. This was based at Walkden Clinic, in Worsley near Manchester and had been established by J. H. Kellgren in 1946 to study the prevalence of rheumatic disease amongst the coal miners of Lancashire. From here Lawrence moved to the Department of Occupational Health at the University of Manchester as a lecturer and then, in c. 1955, he became first Director of the Field Survey Unit funded by the Empire Rheumatism Council (later the Arthritis and Rheumatism Council). The initial focus of the Unit was comparative research amongst the neighbouring populations of the urban town of Leigh and the rural area of Wensleydale. As a result of this, Lawrence and Kellgren were able to demonstrate the prevalence of arthritis in the general population. This was followed by comparative projects on different populations around the world including Jamaica, North America, Rhondda and South Africa. Lawrence resigned as Director of the Unit in 1968 but continued his research. In 1973-1975 he held a Chair at Hanover Medical School where he worked on surveying fisherman and also looked at veterinary arthritis. He published his overall survey of the field as Rheumatism in Populations in 1977.

The survey methodologies which were developed by Lawrence were considered to be pioneering. Individuals were individually interviewed and systematically X-rayed. Lawrence worked with Kellgren on the rationalisation of the grading of arthritis X-rays and in 1963 they produced an internationally-agreed system which became of widespread use. A clear link between obesity and arthritis was established as a result of the studies and Lawrence also became interested in the role of genetics in determining the occurrence of arthritis, and developed twin and family studies to explore this.

The Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester, houses the card punch machine used by Lawrence for data analysis.

This collection is currently uncatalogued and cannot be ordered online. Requests to view uncatalogued material are considered on a case by case basis. Please contact collections@wellcomecollection.org for more details.

A large quantity of coded survey forms, punched cards, data sheets and unlabelled X-rays were not selected for permanent preservation.