Sir James Mackenzie's heart

Abstract

The following description of Sir James Mackenzie's heart has been prepared in accordance with his desire, expressed to myself and to other friends, that after his death his heart should be examined to ascertain what information it furnished upon the symptoms that he had experienced.He died in London on January 25, 1925, aged 72.Some weeks before his death he told Dr. John Parkinson that he wished him to make a post-mortem examination.This request was confirmed, after his death, by his brother, Sir William Mackenzie, now Lord Amulree.The examination was performed, some fourteen hours after his death, by Dr. John Parkinson, assisted by Dr. J. W. Linnell.The heart was removed and subsequently sent to me at St. Andrews for further examination.Dr. Parkinson noted that nothing abnormal was found in the pericardium.In order to correlate the clinical symptoms with the pathological condition, it has been necessary to compile an account of Sir James Mackenzie's illness.This has not been easy for, like so many other doctors, he had not been under the care and observation of a medical man from the commencement of his illness.His own case is referred to both in his book on angina pectoris (Case No. 28) and in that on diseases of the heart, as well as in the Reports of the St. Andrews Institute.While he was in London, from 1908 to 1918, he mentioned to Sir Thomas Lewis that his anginal history began suddenly.While he was in St. Andrews, from 1918 to 1924, engaged in founding the Institute for Clinical Investigation which bears his name, he was on many occasions examined by Dr. James Orr, and discussed with him his condition.Dr. Orr also saw him during several of the attacks of angina, from which he suffered with increasing severity as the years went on.After his return to London in 1924 he was not under the care of any medical man until very shortly before his death, when he was seen by Dr. Parkinson and Dr. C. M. Anderson.