John Boyd Orr
On graduation he entered the teaching profession, where he
stayed for four years, before returning to the University of
Glasgow to study for a medical degree. He went on to take his MD,
being awarded the Medical Faculty's highest award for his thesis.
He was then invited by Sir William McEwen, the eminent surgeon, to
become his assistant. However, his attempt to follow a medical
career was overshadowed by his distress at the plight of the slum
children whom he saw in the wards of the Glasgow hospitals. He felt
particularly helpless in the face of disease and malnutrition,
which resulted in rickets and other disabilities, and he resolved
to try to find some means of ridding the population of this
scourge.
To this end he again returned to the University of Glasgow
to carry out research on metabolic disease, for which he gained his
DSc. He served with the Royal Army Medical Corps in World War I
until 1917, and then as a temporary surgeon with the Royal
Navy.
In 1915 he married Elizabeth Pearson and they had two
daughters and one son. Their elder daughter, Judy, was a doctor
whilst their other daughter, Minty, was a sculptress whose work was
exhibited in Paris. Their son was unfortunately killed in
action.
After the war, John Boyd Orr went to Aberdeen, where he set
about developing the Rowett Institute as a world-renowned research
centre in the field of animal nutrition. He later became Director
of the Imperial Bureau of Animal Nutrition. One of his principle
research projects was in the scientific relationship between
balanced diet and good health. He held appointments to a number of
public bodies, was Professor of Agriculture at the University of
Aberdeen from 1942-45, and Independent MP for the Scottish
Universities from 1945-48. In 1945 he was appointed Director
General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation,
holding this post until 1948.
He was honoured by the University of Glasgow by being
elected Lord Rector by the students in 1945, and Chancellor of the
University by the graduates in 1946. He served until 1971. His work
gained him several major honours including the award for a Nobel
Peace Prize in 1949; Commander of the Legion d'Honneur; and
Commander and Cross with Star, Polonia
Restituta.
He was knighted in 1935; created Baron Boyd Orr of Brechin
Mearns in 1949; and made a Companion of Honour in 1968. He was
elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1932, and was awarded
Honorary Degrees by the Universities of Aberdeen and
Edinburgh.
Following a long illness, Lord Boyd Orr died at his home at
Newton of Strathcathro, near Edzell, Angus on 25 June 1971, at the
age of 90. He was cremated at Aberdeen on 28 June
1971.
