One of our most beloved members and our only honorary member, Dr. Arthur Dawson, passed away in July. He was 92.
Arthur graduated from McGill University with a degree in biochemistry, a doctorate in medicine, and a master’s degree in physiology. He spent his internship, residency and fellowship at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Montreal Children’s Hospital, the Institute of Cardiology in London and the National Heart Hospital in London. During this time, he met and married his wife of 65 years, Helen Sweeney.
In 1964 he joined The Scripps Clinic and became a pioneer in the modern practice of lung disease in San Diego. During his 60-year career there he was known for his depth of knowledge of medical literature and his clinical acumen.
He served as Head of the Scripps Clinic Division of Chest Medicine from 1975 to 1984. Arthur was the head of the Scripps Institutional Review Board (IRB), responsible for evaluating the ethics and value of all research done at Scripps Clinic. Perhaps his longest-lasting contribution was to develop the current method of recording overnight oximetry, a mainstay in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea.
He joined the Village Garden Club of La Jolla in 2007 and wrote more than 130 articles for The Spindrifter. The project combined some of his favorite interests--gardening, writing, teaching, and working on a computer.
You can honor Arthur and his many years of service to the VGCLJ by donating a commemorative tree through this link.