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Hugh Duncan Campbell
BDS HDD FDS(EDIN) FDS RCPS(GLAS)

Reminiscences recorded in conversation with Bob McKecknie and Bill Smith

Hugh D Campbell, Consultant Oral Surgeon now retired, was a member of the group of people who began their professional training following their service in the Second World War. A distinguished operator and teacher, Hugh enjoyed a fulfilling career in a series of responsible posts and always was a wise and considerate person with a fine sense of humour, ready to give help, advice and encouragement to his students and colleagues.

Hugh was born in Paisley and received his school education in Glasgow and in Argyllshire. He was called up in 1942 to join the signals branch of the Royal Artillery. . Following a brief period of service in North Africa, he crossed the Mediterranean to Italy where he spent the rest of the war. Like many before him, that country left its mark on him and he got to know and love it and its people as he moved north with his regiment, visiting many towns and cities famous in history. While in North Africa, in an inter-service boxing match he went three rounds with Marcel Cerdan, later world middleweight champion, but Hugh does not claim to have been in touch with him either during the fight or after! He also met Irving Berlin who was entertaining the troops, with “This is the Army, Mr Jones”. Later in his service he travelled widely over Italy, working with the War Graves Commission, locating and identifying the remains of fallen troops. It was here that he had his memorable first contact with dentistry in the discipline of forensic odontology, when he watched Dental Corps staff identifying bodies by comparing dental examinations with service records.

It was during this period of his life that Hugh's love of Italian art, architecture and opera began, an awakening that was to become something of a passion in his subsequent life. His knowledge of Italian opera is vast and to hear him discuss in depth singers and performers he has heard is a wonderful educational experience, as those of us who have enjoyed his addresses to the BDA Senior Members Group will agree. He has returned to Italy many times since those early days, learning Italian in order to appreciate his visits the more. In recent years he chaired the Glasgow branch of the Dante Alighieri Society - a cultural organisation sponsored by the Italian government.

Hugh was demobbed in 1947 and matriculated at Glasgow University in order to study dentistry as the first BDS course started in 1948. During his undergraduate years Hugh took an active part in the University's corporate life, gaining a soccer blue and winning colours in boxing by representing Scottish Universities against English Universities.
After gaining his BDS degree, Hugh spent a year as a House Officer in Glasgow in John Orr's Department of Oral Surgery. There followed a series of posts in Cardiff, in Derby where he worked with Tom Battersby who was a pioneer of mandibular fracture plating, and finally Dundee in Professor Kitchen's department. During these years, Hugh perfected his considerable operative skill as well as gaining an HDD, an FDS from the RCS of Edinburgh and an FDS from the RCS of Glasgow. At the end of this period Hugh returned to Glasgow in 1963 as a Consultant Oral Surgeon. He was based in Glasgow Dental Hospital and School where he had teaching and clinical commitments in the department of Oral Surgery. He had consultant responsibility for dental out patients and oral surgery in patients at the Victoria Infirmary, Mearnskirk Hospital and the Southern General Hospital, where he and his junior staff provided an excellent service to the people of the South side of Glasgow. Hugh also instituted clinics in Campbeltown and Lochgilphead which he attended monthly, where he addressed the needs of patients referred by local GMPs and GDPs.

Hugh was an excellent teacher at both under and postgraduate levels. The SHO post at the Victoria Infirmary was, for many years the only full-time resident SHO post in Glasgow and competition for the appointment was intense. His former junior staff colleagues, many of whom are now consultants themselves, have reason to recall with gratitude his commitment to their training and the excellent seminars he organised for them. He always accepted full responsibility for his juniors' clinical work. If a mistake was made, it was discussed privately with the individual concerned, the lessons to be learned from it observed and then the matter dismissed. Thus was V1/ learning advanced without the destruction of confidence.

Hugh was greatly admired and respected by the dental students who attended his clinics and operating sessions. His surgical techniques were superb, impressing even that most stern of critics, the theatre sister. Meanwhile the odd humorous or sardonic remark from the operator was avidly seized upon to later find its way into the final year magazines. General practitioner colleagues were not forgotten. Hugh sought and procured sponsorship from the commercial dental companies to fund excellent dental seminars where specialists in their own field addressed their GP colleagues on a variety of topics relating to general practice. These meetings were extremely popular and well attended.
Hugh was instrumental in setting up the central sterilising unit at the Dental Hospital. Hugh's DSA Mrs Anne McKay (nee Graham) was seconded to the TSSU (Theatre Sterile Supply Unit) and CSSD (Central Sterile Supply Department) at the Victoria and had a training there in the systems initiated by Dr Cameron Weymes - the first in Scotland. Professor Ireland arranged for Anne to be transferred to the Glasgow Dental Hospital to organise and run the new service there. Hugh also instituted the routine of skin prepping and 'Queen of Sheba' towelling of all patients undergoing operative procedures.

Outwith clinical oral surgery, Hugh was happy to accept the responsibility of office in a number of important dental organisations. As chairman of the Dental Hospital Staff Association and of the Hospital Advisory Committee he convened the meetings which led to the centenary celebrations. From this latter event came the Glasgow Dental Alumnus Association of which he was president. He is also a past president of the Glasgow Odontological Society. He was Convenor of the Dental Council of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and served on a number of dental committees. He took early retirement in 1986 but continued to be active clinically with locum appointments in Raigmore, Crosshouse, Perth, Dumfries and Carlisle.

When not engaged in clinical duties Hugh enjoyed a wide varied social life. He enjoyed sailing with his anaesthetist friend the late Roddy Unkles and spending time with his family at their house in his beloved Argyll. He was recently made an honorary member of the Officers of the Royal Highland Fusiliers Luncheon Club where he regularly meets with fellow rugby enthusiasts. Perhaps the society closest to his heart is the Glasgow Philological and Literary Society, popularly known as the "Ours Club". He has twice been president of this institution which was founded in 1871. It is an entertaining and informative privilege to hear him deliver his bi-annual essay or talk as it is to enjoy the poems or songs delivered during a "harmony" session.

Sadly Hugh's delightful wife, Millie passed away in January of this year. Hugh has borne her loss with quiet dignity and courage, supported by his two fine sons Ross and Duncan.

To many of us Hugh has been a great friend and mentor. A highly respected man who can be proud of the loyalty he gives to his many friends and the fine service he gave to his patients in the West of Scotland..

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