Alice Stewart

Dr Alice Stewart at Fifth IPPNW European Congress, Coventry Wellcome L0075316

Alice Stewart (1906–2002) was a pioneering British physician and epidemiologist whose groundbreaking work in the mid-20th century contributed significantly to the understanding of the health effects of radiation exposure, particularly in relation to x-rays in pregnancy and the link between radiation and cancer. Her research had a profound impact on public health policies and practices regarding the use of radiation.

Early Life and Education

Alice Stewart was born in Sheffield, England, in 1906. She pursued her medical education at the University of Cambridge and the Royal Free Hospital in London, qualifying as a physician in the early 1930s. Stewart's early career was marked by a keen interest in social medicine and the health impacts of environmental factors.

Career and Research

In 1947, Stewart became the head of the Department of Preventive Medicine at the University of Oxford. It was here that she began her pioneering research into the effects of radiation on human health. Her most notable study, conducted in the 1950s, involved the examination of the medical records of thousands of children who had died of cancer. She discovered a significant correlation between prenatal x-ray exposure and the development of childhood cancer. This finding was controversial at the time, as medical x-rays were a common practice and their safety was rarely questioned.

Stewart's work extended beyond the effects of medical x-rays to include studies on the health of workers exposed to radiation in the nuclear industry. She was among the first to suggest that even low levels of radiation exposure could increase the risk of cancer, a view that was met with skepticism but later became widely accepted.

Throughout her career, Stewart faced significant opposition from the medical and scientific communities, partly because her findings challenged established practices and beliefs. Despite this, she continued her research and became an outspoken advocate for stricter safety standards regarding radiation exposure.

Legacy

Alice Stewart's contributions to the field of epidemiology and her tireless work in investigating the health effects of radiation have left a lasting legacy. Her research played a crucial role in changing attitudes towards radiation safety and has influenced international policies and guidelines on radiation exposure.

Her work is recognized as a cornerstone in the field of environmental health and has paved the way for further research into the effects of environmental and occupational exposures on health.

Awards and Honors

Throughout her career, Stewart received numerous awards and honors in recognition of her contributions to science and public health. However, the specifics of these awards are not detailed in this summary.

Death

Alice Stewart passed away in 2002, leaving behind a legacy of pioneering research and advocacy that continues to influence the fields of epidemiology, public health, and occupational medicine.

See Also

• Epidemiology
• Radiation poisoning
• Public health
• Occupational medicine