Dr Christopher Barugh Picken

Personal Details

Dr Christopher Barugh Picken MBBS FFARCS MRCS LRCP DA

20/01/1903 to 16/05/1973

Place of birth: Bath, Somerset

Nationality: British

CRN: 715844

Also known as: Chris

Education and qualifications

General education

Kelly College, Tavistock where he was a scholar; Guy’s Hospital Medical School.

Primary medical qualification(s)

MRCS LRCP, 1926

Initial Fellowship and type

FFARCS by Election

Year of Fellowship

1965

Other qualification(s)

MBBS, London, 1929; DA(RCP&S), 1936.

Professional life and career

Postgraduate career

After house jobs at Guy’s Hospital, Chris was resident anaesthetist at Addenbrooke’s Cambridge. Having obtained his MBBS in 1929, he joined a group general practice in Southampton in 1930 and was appointed honorary visiting anaesthetist at The Royal South Hants Hospital. He joined the RAMC in 1940 and, with the rank of major, saw service as a specialist anaesthetist in North Africa, Italy, Belgium and Germany. After the war he returned to his previous posts, but at the advent of the NHS decided to specialise in anaesthetics although he continued to care for a small number of his old patients as their family doctor. He retired in 1968.

Professional interests and activities

His high standard of anaesthetic practice and the general esteem in which he was held led to his election as FFARCS in 1965.

Other biographical information

Chris married in 1929. He was a man of great integrity, professional excellence and quiet modesty who rarely had a bad word to say about anyone and his friendship was valued highly by his colleagues. His sense of humour and unfailing courtesy were a constant delight. In 1968 he retired to a house with a lovely garden and superb view over the New Forest. Sadly his wife died suddenly soon after. He died on 16th May 1973, aged 70, and is survived by his son and daughter.

Author and Sources

Author: Robert Julian Palmer.

Sources and any other comments: Obituary (by Dr Patrick Shackleton). BMJ 1973; 1: 720