BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL,
VOLUME 284, 16 JANUARY, 1982. OBITUARY L M MOODY, CBE, MD, MRCP, LLD Dr L M Moody, who until his retirement was in general practice in Kingston, Jamaica, died after a short illness on 19 November [1981]. He was 89. Ludlow Murcott Moody was born on 1 November 1892 and educated at Wolmer's Boys' School, Jamaica, before coming to England to study medicine at King's College, London. In 1919 he became the first Jamaican to obtain the MRCP; he proceeded MD in 1920. After working in the departments of physiology and bacteriology at King's College he returned to Jamaica and served as the government bacteriologist until 1925. He then entered general practice and contributed widely to the community and the profession, becoming president of the Jamaica branch of the BMA, president of the Medical Council of Jamaica, a magistrate, and a member of the Public Service Commission. Dr Moody was always conscious of his debt to Wolmer's School and served for 40 years on the board of trustees. He was responsible for many improvements and developments, his greatest contribution undoubtedly being the founding of a preparatory school. He was associated with the University of the West Indies from the outset, attending the first meeting of the provisional council in 1944 and later serving on the council of the college from 1947 to 1955. He represented the university's interest on the university hospital board from 1948 until 1977. In all his appointments he was respected and admired for his considered and temperate advice, constructive criticism, and realistically progressive outlook. Dr Moody's life included many activities; he played several sports and captained the successful Jamaican team at Bisley in 1938. He was particularly interested in breeding pedigree dairy cattle. On first acquaintance he appeared extremely upright and rather forbidding, but this belied the truth. His posture resulted from a sporting injury in his youth, and one quickly learnt of his tremendous fund of kindly humour. He was made a CBE in 1966 in recognition of his sustained contribution to both medicine and the community, and was awarded a doctorate of laws honoris causa, when he was described as "a careful scholar, an experienced practitioner, a medical jurist and a sound administrator, rooted in the soil of his own country but wise in the knowledge of others...." He is survived by his wife Margaret and his daughter Pamela,who is also a doctor.-JGB. |