“Life’s Aim Achieved”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 566, 19 January 1929, Page 9

“Life’s Aim Achieved”

SUICIDE OF TWIN DOCTORS

“Overworked, Underfed”

REMARKABLE STORY OF TRAGEDY

(United P,A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association)

“ ’EE,WORKED and underfed, neglecting their health, v going without holidays and without recreation ; but if they had persevered they would have been famous.” So the coroner summed up in the tragic suicide of the twin doctors who were found dead in London. He found that their minds had become unbalanced.

Reed. 9 a.m. LONDON, Friday. At the inquest on the Harley Street doctors, the twin brothers Arthur Brown Smith and Sidney Smith, who took their lives because of their fear of poverty, the coroner’s verdict was one of suicide while of unsound mind. A sister of the twins testified that they had no private means. A doctor with whom they had collaborated said they did a tremendous lot of good in interesting the public in the radium treatment of cancer, writing articles, and endeavouring to raise money for radium clinics. Another doctor who gave evidence said both seemed overworked. He had known them to t hrk sometimes without food all hours of the day and night. They were looking very strained and worn, and never took a holiday. A bank manager gave evidence that the Smiths’ joint account was overdrawn by £742. They had given good security, and had deposited their two life policies of £I,OOO each. The coroner said there was no question but that their minds had become unbalanced. MOST TRAGIC STORY There are few more tragic life stories than that of the twin doctors, whose age was 28. Their letter to the nation was read by the coroner. In the course of a splendid eulogy he said: “These men were overworked and underfed, neglecting their health, going without holidays and without relaxation; but if they had persevered they would have been famous. The letter set out: “May all who know the national service my brother and myself have rendered in the advancement of the radium treatment of cancer ) in England come forward and help to comfort our beloved mother in this hour. A greater, nobler mother we co\j}£ not have. We make no attempt to eulogise her. Only one who could out-Barrie Barrie or our-Burke Burke could no justice to the task. “We now pass from this world. With a national awakening to the value of radium work, our life’s aim has been achieved.” SPONTANEOUS TRIBUTES The letter concluded: “Poverty not in itself, but service also killed us. Misunderstanding, too, played no small part.”

The inquest was notable for the spontaneous commendation by eminent doctors who had been associated with the twins. Sir Thomas Carey Evans, with whom they carried out their last operation, said: “They refused remuneration and even expenses, because it was a hospital case. They even provided their own radium, worth £2,000 ” Another doctor spoke how extremely alike they were in appearance, views, and conversation. Obviously they were obsessed by the necessity of more radium for England, and better technique in its use. Invariably they looked white and tired. Nevertheless, they were cheerful and talked hopefully of the future. He had received a letter from one of them wishing him farewell, and giving grateful thanks. “Our national service has been rendered,” said the letter.A Harley Street man in the same house said they did not drink, did not take drugs, and did not smoke. They regretted bitterly the state of the use of radium in England and bitterly regretted that smaller ond poorer countries were ahead of Britain in this. They could not repress their feelings. They did not want personal aggrandisement. They worked all hours of the night, and had influenced at least one wealthy man to provide thousands of pounds worth of radium for a clinic. A letter to the mother set out: “In a short life we have done noble service to England. We pray that the purity of your heart will inspire us as we go our way.” “LANCET’S” TRIBUTE The “Lancet” refers to the tragedy, bearing out the statement that two promising lives were cut short. “Their work seemed to be of much promise,” it says, “and their contributions to the literature of radium therapy had already begun to attract attention. The book which they published in 1927 was useful, especially because it showed the necessity for the collaboration of the surgeon with the radiologist. “There was reason to hope that their increasing experience of radium would enable them to produce valuable work.”