Ron Laidlaw: Dr P. Paterson-Brown - Duties of a GP

President Scott Elliot welcomed an old friend to last week's meeting of the Rotary Club in the name of Dr. Peter Paterson-Brown who reminisced on his life as a GP serving the town.  Peter studied medicine at University and in 1949 undertook a 6 year course at Edinburgh Medical School.  Hr graduated in 1955 and served for 2 years in hospital as a house doctor followed by spells as a locum doctor at Elie, Cowie and Stirling.  He arrived in Hawick in 1957 at the practice of Dr Ross Haddon in the midst of a 'flu' epidemic which struck the town in 1957/58.  He later took a partnership in the practice and remained in Hawick until retiring in 1991.  He later took up locum work in the Highlands and served CHAS for 12 years which he found very rewarding but, at times, saddening.  Peter regaled the company in his usual inimitable and humorous fashion with the many interesting situations he found himself embroiled in all the time supported by his faithful and loyal wife, the late Dr June Paterson-Brown.  He looked at the many changes in medicine he had experienced in his working life but said his mantra always was that caring should accompany curing and his only wish was that this should continue in the profession.  An interesting question and discussion session followed after which Past President Ron Laidlaw warmly thanked the doctor for a most interesting and informative evening.