ISSN 1359-9321 The Galton Institute NEWSLETTER

Galtonia candicans Issue Number 71 June 2009 conferences in future issues of the Newsletter. You will find a report on the Contents Grants for Conferences 2008 British Society for Population

and Workshops Studies Annual Conference, which was held at the University of Manchester last

September, in this issue of the Newslet- The Institute offers grants of up to ter. The Galton Institute was also able to Conference Grants 1 £1000 towards the cost of conferences sponsor this conference under our small and workshops on topics relevant to the grants scheme. Institute’s objectives. So far this year the Occasional Papers 1 Institute has made three such grants. The Institute is, of course, organizing its own conference too. This will be held The first grant is for a conference Why Galton Institute on 1st October, 2009 and details of the Aren’t the Social Sciences Darwinian?, programme can be seen below. Conference 1 to be held 14-16 May, 2009 at the

Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolu-

tionary Studies at Cambridge. Eugenics then and now 2 The second, entitled Fertility declines The Galton Institute in the past, present and future, is to be Occasional Papers British Society for held from 15-17 July, 2009 in Downing Population Studies College, Cambridge. Those of you who enjoyed reading the first in this third series of booklets, Annual Conference 4 The other conference which we are which was entitled A Guide to Pre- supporting with a grant is The Darwin- implantation Genetic Diagnosis, will be Personality and IQ 6 ian Renaissance in the Humanities and interested to know that The Institute, in Social Sciences which will be held 13 collaboration with the Progress Educa- November, 2009 at Queen Mary, tional Trust, is intending to publish the William Milo Keynes 8 University of London. Members of the second in this series later this year. This Galton Institute who wish to attend this paper will be An Introduction to Stem conference are being offered a reduced Cells and will cover the nature, types, registration fee of £20; information on sources and properties of stem cells, both how to apply for tickets will be on our potential and achieved clinical applica- website in due course. tions as well as ethical dimensions of We hope to include reports on all these both stem cell research and applications. Published by: The Galton Institute GALTON INSTITUTE CONFERENCE 2009 19 Northfields Prospect William Bateson: his Exceptions and Origin of Species Revisited Northfields to be held at The Royal Society LONDON SW18 1PE Thursday 1st October, 2009 Telephone: 020-8874 7257 General Secretary: The programme includes the following speakers: Mrs Betty Nixon Professor Donald Forsdyke (Bateson’s Contributions to Evolutionary Theory); Professor Sir Walter Bodmer (Quantitative Genetics and Variation); Professor Email: [email protected] Gabriel Dover (Epistasis and the Co-evolution of Genetic Networks); Professor Newsletter Editor: David Baulcombe, The Galton Lecture 2009, (How Nurture Influences Nature); Professor Tim Cox (Bateson and Medicine) and Professor Peter Holland Robert Cohen (Homeosis and Evolution). Web site: Admission is free but strictly by ticket, available from The General Secretary www.galtoninstitute.org.uk

GALTON INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER 1 JUNE 2009 Methods: Two other procedures to regulate ART in practice are by legislation or the Eugenics then and now use of ethical codes of practice. Each by The early methods of eugenics from will be considered in turn. David Galton the nineteenth and twentieth centuries are still in use today. The only one that Legislation Francis Galton advocated was pedigree

analysis; and this is the starting point for (1) Abortion: (This is the text of a lecture most patients attending a Genetics delivered at The Galton Institute Clinic. Later methods moved to the po- Centenary Symposium What sition of trying to avoid a ‘bad’ birth by Makes us Human? in 2007) Attempts to draft accurate and widely the use of abortion or sterilization. From applicable laws to put ART into practice the mid-twentieth century onwards a raft have been fraught with difficulties and

of new techniques have been developed have created as many problems as they to directly obtain a ‘favourable’ birth. have resolved. To take two examples of Definitions These include artificial insemination abortion and sterilization. Before the (donor), in vitro fertilization, embryo Abortion Act of 1967 it was a criminal selection by preimplantation genetic offence to procure an abortion in the UK diagnosis, and other derivative tech- Much of the confusion arising from unless the life of the mother was at risk. niques of egg/sperm/foetal storage and the term eugenics comes from the differ- After the Act the justification for abor- maternal surrogacy. The problem then ing definitions that people use. The ety- tion was widened to anything that might arose how to put these techniques into mology derives from the Greek eu- good impair the physical, mental or social practice in the social setting. genesis- birth. It is the polar opposite of well-being of the mother. However the the word euthanasia (eu-good, thanatos- Act does not extend to Northern Ireland death). Despite similar past histories of One method common in Switzerland where it remains a criminal offence misuse, euthanasia is still in current use is the use of public referenda. They are a unless it be to save the life of the mother. with a Euthanasia Bill passing through central feature of government used in So we are left with the anomalous situa- the House of Lords in June 2003 to le- decide moral and life-style choices that tion that within the same jurisdiction of galise voluntary euthanasia and was cut across party lines. One was recently the UK it is both a criminal offence and granted a second reading. A Eugenics held there on the use of genetic eng- not a criminal offence to procure an Bill has never passed through Parliament ineering for food and medical products; abortion if the mother’s life is not at risk. but one was submitted in 1930 but did and was endorsed by a majority vote. There is thus a migration of pregnant not make the first stage. Irish women to England to obtain a ter-

mination who quite naturally feel dis-

Political expediency has been used by criminated against by the Law. The law Francis Galton coined the term China to attempt to arrest their popula- at a basic level should be consistent eugenics in the late nineteenth century to tion growth (or even to reduce it) by across a country if it is to retain the re- mean the use of science to achieve a drafting a set of laws that are overtly spect of the people. Another issue that is 1 ‘good’ birth . Even the use of obstetric eugenic. On June 1st, 1995 the People’s causing a great deal of contention is the forceps to deliver an undamaged foetus Republic of China passed a bill on upper time-limit that an abortion can be could be considered as a eugenic proce- ‘Maternal and Infant Health Care’. The performed: 24 weeks as the law states dure by his definition. The word ac- Bill included measures to ‘terminate now, or less than 20 weeks as many peo- quired its opprobrium in the early twen- pregnancy if the foetus is suffering from ple now are campaigning for. It is diffi- tieth century when governments began to a genetic disease or any other defect of a cult to issue a blanket legal statement interfere with and take control of the serious nature’. The couple must there- when the individual circumstances can reproductive rights of their citizens. after undertake long-term contraception be so variable for the woman. This led to a ‘slippery slope’ to the ex- or agree to undergo sterilization. Further

tremism of the eugenic activities of the measures are to avoid new births of infe- Third Reich. From then the term fell rior quality and to defer marriage when In the USA the ruling of the Supreme into disrepute and synonyms have been birth defects are likely to occur, or un- Court of Justice in the case of Roe v coined to replace it: reprogenetics, as- dergo compulsory sterilization. Such Wade in 1973 legitimizing abortion on sisted conception, assisted reproductive measures hark back to the American request has led to innumerable prob- 2 technology (ART) to name a few . eugenic movement of the 1920s. lems. It has split the nation into pro-

JUNE 2009 2 GALTON INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER choice and pro-life factions leading to bility for application to individuals on a the embryo as a means-to-an-end for violent clashes. Since 1993 seven doc- case-by-case basis and their ability to providing tissue. In the case of tors who performed abortion have been change more promptly as new tech- ß-thalassaemia the HFEA considered it murdered by pro-life groups; and during niques or situations arise. They need not legitimate to use PGD to exclude an em- the last two decades more that 2,300 apply uniformly across the whole popu- bryo with the disease mutation and at the incidents of violence against abortion lation, they better fit multi-cultural so- same time select an embryo that was a clinics have been reported including cieties, and are less likely to produce perfect tissue match for the sick brother arson and bombings 2. It would clearly faction. Ethics are more a matter of per- to effect his cure. In the case of the have been better if the case of the preg- sonal choice of moral rules rather than Whitaker family if the elder son needed nancy of Ms. Roe had been kept out of laws that are rigidly imposed from a renal transplant and it was within the the Courts. above. mother’s ethical compass, she could

authorize the surgical transplant from a

Ethical codes are often adopted by younger child without contravening the (2) Sterilization: professional bodies (such as the British law. But because her ‘child’ is at a foetal stage she appears to have no such Medical Association or General Medical autonomy. There are numerous other The other major eugenic technique to Council in the UK) to act as guide for examples where legislation appears to prevent unfavourable births is by sterili- their practitioners. The codes usually make no provision for special cases that zation. The first sterilization Laws were include such terms as beneficence (or no had not been anticipated when the law passed in Indiana in 1907, and by 1917 harm to others), autonomy (or due rights was formulated (e.g. the case of Blood v such Laws had been enacted in fifteen for others with no deception or coer- HFEA8 on the issue of posthumous birth, more states. They were applied to men- cion); and equity or fairness. Other ethi- or the case of Evans v Johnston for the tal defects, to the feeble-minded and cal principles are derived from the vari- use of stored foetuses). other socially inadequate persons. It ous declarations of Universal Human came to a head in 1924 when the case of Rights published since the first one in 1948 after the end of World War II to Buck v Bell came before the United Conclusions States Supreme court. This concerned include rights to privacy, rights to in- 4, 5 the cases of Emma Buck, her daughter formed consent for any procedures . Carrie and granddaughter Vivian who Numerous factors will make it diffi- were all pronounced to be mental de- When ethics and law clash it is unfor- cult to develop practical and effective fects. Justice Holmes pronounced his tunate that the former has to give way. legislation for the regulation of the new 9 famous verdict that ‘ three generations of A good example of this is the dilemma ‘eugenic’ techniques . These include: imbeciles are enough’; and Carrie and of the ‘saviour sibling’ in the Hasmi and sister Doris were duly sterilized. This Whitaker families6. Both families 1. The rapid pace of genetic discoveries decision legitimised the USA steriliza- wanted to conceive a child by preim- and the new technologies evolving from tion laws and by 1935, for example, plantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)7 to them. more than 10,000 women had been ster- provide a perfect tissue match for a bone

ilized in California. Other countries fol- marrow transplant to their son who suf- 2. A diversity of opinions for the appli- lowed suit including Belgium, France, fered a life-threatening anaemia. In the 3 cations of the new technologies in a mul- Germany and Sweden . It also set an case of the Hasmi family it was for a son ticultural society. example for the Nazis to justify their with ß-thalassaemia; with the Whitaker

sterilization (and euthanasia) pro- family it was for a son with Diamond- 3. The paramount importance of preserv- grammes in the name of eugenics lead- Blackfan anaemia. The Hasmi request ing basic freedoms of scientific research ing to the extensive extermination camps was accepted by the statutory body, the and communication if too many restric- of the Third Reich. The term ‘eugenics’ Human Fertilization and Embryology tions are to be imposed by statutory bod- has never recovered from its association Authority (HFEA); the Whitaker request ies. with these horrendous acts. was rejected. The rejection was based on

the facts that the genetics of Diamond- 4. the evolving social norms of society Blackfan anaemia are poorly understood regarding the use of these techniques. Ethical Codes of Practice (there is no genetic marker for the dis-

ease) and it was considered inappropriate An alternative to legislation is to use to expose a healthy embryo to the risks Although in the past legal codes have ethical codes of practice. They differ of PGD (that appear to be minimal) for been devised to act prospectively under from legal codes in having greater flexi- the sake of a sick sibling. It was using the present circumstances of a fast moving

GALTON INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER 3 JUNE 2009 field a more flexible, responsive and 3. Armstrong C. Thousands of women of Biotechnology, Brussels 1996. retro-active regulatory model may be sterilized in Sweden without consent. 8. Editorial: A role model of rigidity Brit. Med. J. 1997; 315: 563. more appropriate as provided by the Lancet 348: 1253-1254, 1996. ethical codes of practice of professional 4. Convention on Human Rights and 9. Galton D. J., O’Donovan K. Legislat- bodies. Biomedicine. European Treaty Series ing for the New Predictive Genetics. 164, Oviedo 1997. Publ. Edition du Human Reproduction and Genetic Conseil de l’Europe. Ethics 6: 39-48 2000. References: 5. Convention on the Rights of the Child. Publ. Editions du Conseil de l’Europe 1989. 1. Kevles D.J. In the name of eugenics. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard Press 6. Saviour sibling babies get green light. David Galton is Emeritus Professor 1995. New Scientist 13:28, 2004. at the Wolfson Institute of Preventive 2. Galton D.J. Eugenics: the future of 7. The Ethical Aspects of Prenatal Medicine, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital human life in the 21st. Century. Publ. Diagnosis. European Commission of Medical College, EC1M 6 BQ as well as Abacus, London 2001. Advisors on the Ethical Implications a Trustee of The Galton Institute.

gether and couples entering or ending a lect information on potential double relationship are more likely to be counted counting? Dr Toulemon highlighted the British Society for more than once. Dr Toulemon’s presenta- importance of the inclusion of such ques- Population Studies Annual tion showed results of investigations us- tions in France but also emphasised that Conference 2008 ing French (EU-SILC) and Australian there had to be a balance between provid- (HILDA) data to: ing information needed by Census and survey users and not over burdening re- ·estimate the proportion of people spondents. He also mentioned the impor- living in two or more dwellings tance of understanding the reasons par- The 2008 BSPS Conference was held ents want to count their children as living describe how these situations can be at the University of Manchester from 10- · with them even if they live in multiple 12 September and was again very well controlled for in order to avoid households. It was suggested from the attended, with over 190 participants over double-counting and floor that parents claiming benefits for the two days of the meeting itself. Ple- ·describe the consequences of multi- children might be more likely to report nary speakers were Dr. Laurent them as living with them. residence on estimates of family Toulemon (INED), Professor Massimo situations based on ‘routine’ Livi Bacci (University of Florence), and It was also highlighted that the 2011 surveys or censuses. Professor Francesco Billari (Istituto di E&W Census will include a question on Metodi Quantitativi, Università Bocconi). second residences. Multi-residence was defined based on

information on time spent in each dwell- ii) An additional questioner mentioned Dr Toulemon spoke on Two-home ing, status of the dwelling (i.e. main that ONS was undertaking research to family situations of children and adults in household dwelling) and family relation- investigate Census counts in the age France and Australia: observation and ships. Based on the information collected, group 25-29 by sex and compare them consequences for describing family pat- record level weights were generated to with estimates from other data sources. terns, in a session chaired by Professor take multiple-counting into account. Could research done to estimate double Emily Grundy. Multi-residence i.e. usu- counting among children help illuminate

ally living in more than one dwelling can possible differences seen in counts at lead to problems in censuses and surveys. The presentation generated great inter- older ages such as 25-29? Dr Toulemon Children commuting between two paren- est and questions included: emphasised that young men are more tal homes, older adults preparing for re- likely to be undercounted. Possibly over tirement, very old or disabled people who i) Given his findings, did Dr counting at younger ages might explain move from one child’s home to another Toulemon think that extra questions part of the undercount at older ages e.g. during the year, couples living apart to- should be included in the Census to col- 25-29.

JUNE 2009 4 GALTON INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER Professor Livi Bacci, whose session fertility (below replacement rate), high intentions. was chaired by Professor Bob Woods longevity societies.

discussed Indian Collapse after Euro- pean contact: old and new interpreta- Francesco concluded that although he tions. This presentation examined the Francesco described some previous was presenting preliminary findings he issue of why the indigenous population research into happiness. Happiness after hoped that he had shown the importance of the Latin America declined so rapidly marriage or unhappiness after divorce of looking at happiness as a predictor/ following European contact. Massimo has been extensively studied. Most of explanation for fertility rates in devel- states that this is widely accepted to be the papers found the increase/decrease in oped countries. happiness was only short term. There has due to lack of immunity to diseases spread by European colonists. Contem- been much less research into the Francesco’s talk led to an interesting porary observers though tend to point to happiness associated with becoming a discussion. One particularly interesting a plurality of factors (forced labour, parent and existing research shows suggestion was for Francesco to look at excessive work, economic and social varied conclusions. For example, Kohler specific components of happiness (e.g. dislocation, wars and conflicts), as well et al (2005) studied Danish twins and optimism) and the link with fertility. One as disease. The presentation reconsidered found a positive effect after the first of the delegates suggested that it would this historical evidence, taking into birth, but no effect after the second birth. be difficult to establish child related account the modes and circumstances of Young (2005) looked at age-period happiness if the child’s birth coincided European domination. cohorts and determinants of happiness by marital status and number of children. with a major life event e.g. new job,

Bivariate analysis if this concluded that divorce etc. Massimo pointed out that estimates of childless people are less happy, while the indigenous population at contact vary multivariate analysis showed them to be As well as the plenary sessions, there widely making it difficult to estimate the happier. Earlier research saw having was a full programme of submitted size of the ‘catastrophe’. The impact of children as a negative effect on happi- papers in simultaneous strand sessions, smallpox and other communicable ness. Francesco thought that although covering issues of ageing, estimates and diseases also appears to have varied this may have been the case in the past, projections, families and households, between countries. The use of the it was important to re-investigate the fertility, health and mortality, historical indigenous populations as forced labour, links between fertility and happiness. demography, local authorities, census such as in gold mining, was highlighted. and planning, transnational and subna- This led to displaced populations and the tional migration, posters, religious, author argued that such uprooting of First Francesco argued that in low cultural and ethnic demography, and communities led to reduced fertility and fertility societies individuals who are reproductive health. A comprehensive thus impacted upon the ability of local happier are more likely to have children. report of the entire Conference will be populations to recover from epidemics. He used data from 26 countries, found at the BSPS website at: Four paradigms were presented, including the UK on fertility intentions illustrating the various factors that and happiness (European Social Survey). http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/BSPS/ potentially impacted upon the indigenous Francesco found that for childless annualConference/2008.htm individuals, happiness was correlated populations for different parts of Latin where many of the presentations with future intent to have a child. America. themselves can also be accessed.

The third plenary, from Professor Francesco used harmonised data files Francesco Billari, chaired by Professor from the Generations and Gender survey Paul Boyle, discussed Happiness and to confirm his second hypothesis that in fertility. Francesco explained that current relatively higher fertility societies BSPS would also like to take this theories behind the low fertility in well- individual perceived happiness influ- opportunity to again thank The Galton developed countries do not offer a enced future fertility intentions. Fran- Institute for their generous financial universal explanation. His paper cesco used the same survey data to argue support for the Annual Conference. We investigated happiness as a key to that the expected increase in happiness will be in Brighton in 2009, at the explain reproductive choices in low was a significant predictor of fertility University of Sussex.

GALTON INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER 5 JUNE 2009 Using the Fisher transformation the of mental association” this is a large part correlation coefficient was 0·44 (95%) of intelligence.

confidence interval 0·103 – 0·507. Nettle’s test is a useful rough guide Personality and IQ As a check C. Robert Cloninger’s as to ability where measuring that ability

By test for Novelty Seeking was substituted might be a sore point. Patrick James for Nettle’s extroversion since that too is as good a test for extroversion as any. The results were not as clear cut but the Patrick James is a Trustee of The Daniel Nettle has produced a very trends were similar:- Galton Institute. non-aggressive test exposing the current and popular five character facets (extraversion, neurosis, conscientious- ness, agreeableness and openness). All NS + Open Mean IQ S.D. 15 Numbers tested of these are sourced by the interactions Score of neurotransmitters; dopamine, sero- tonin, nor-adrenalin, oxytocin and re- 50+ 128·4 8·5 9 lated compounds. The author wonders if intelligence, as measured by intelligence 40-49 128·1 7·4 23 tests, might be equally part of this bio- chemical mix. He used his extended family to this effect. 30-39 121·1 11·3 16

<29 113·3 16·1 9 One hundred and twenty four were tested and, of these, 107 had previously 57 had their Intelligence Quotients meas- ured (S.D.15). They were matched and using the four divisions Nettle uses:

high, medium high, medium low and low, a combination of introversion plus In each section there is a wide distri- References: openness provided the best “fit”. bution of I.Q. but the impression is that Personality, Daniel Nettle, Oxford Uni- as Nettle’s test scores decrease, it be- versity Press, 2007 comes harder to sustain a complex high Extroversion was measured out of ten operation intelligence, just as a reduction Dimensions of Personality, H. J. Ey- in his test so introversion was ten minus in species numbers lowers the survival senck, Kegan Paul, 1947 the extraversion score. A total com- potential of an environment. Group Tests of Intelligence, P. B. Bal- bined score would be twenty-five. lard, University of London, 1957

In the past H. J. Eysenk found some A Guide to Intelligence and Personality Sixty three females and sixty males association with introversion and if Testing, V. Serebriakoff, Parthenon Pub- took part. The results were as follows:- “openness” can be defined as “breadth lishing Group, 1988 The Essential Difference, S. Baron- Points Mean IQ S.D. 15 Numbers tested Cohen, Allen Lane, 2003 (Nettle) Neurogenetics, R. N. Rosenberg, Raven Press, 1985 High >17 129·4 6·15 16 A Guide to Mental Testing, R. B. Cattell, University of London, 1948 Medium 13-16 125·7 10·9 44 Human Variation, R. Travis Osborne et High al, Academic Press, 1978 The Temperament and Character Inven- Medium 9-11 121·9 12·2 39 tory, C. Robert Cloninger, Center for Low Psychobiology of Personality, Washing- ton University, 1994 Low <8 112·6 4·2 8 Inheritance of Intelligence in a Pem- brokeshire Family, Patrick F. James, 107 The Linnean, Vol.12., No. 2, July 1996.

JUNE 2009 6 GALTON INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER GALTON INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER 7 JUNE 2009 Charles via Sir George Darwin. He was mother wrote a long memoir which he WILLIAM MILO KEYNES thus the nephew of John Maynard lent me to help with Leonard Darwin’s 1924 – 2009 Keynes and, through his great, great, DNB entry). great-grandfather Erasmus Darwin, With Milo’s death the Galton related to Sir Francis Galton. He edited a Institute lost a good friend and the William Milo Keynes died in series of essays on Maynard Keynes history of science a good scholar. Cambridge on 18 February at the age of (Cambridge University Press, 1975, A.W.F.Edwards 84, some months after a serious stroke reissued 2005) and on Maynard’s wife

and fall, from which he had initially Lydia Lopokova (Weidenfeld and been making a remarkable recovery. He Nicolson, 1983) and contributed Milo Keynes: a personal tribute had been a member of the Galton substantially to the rehabilitation of Institute (and its predecessor the Galton as a great scientist through the Milo Keynes was a formidable character Eugenics Society) for sixty years, and of Institute meeting he organised in 1991 and kept fighting his disabilities to the its Council for much of the time since and the subsequent book he edited (Sir end. Despite increasing illness in the 1961. He brought to the affairs of the Francis Galton, FRS, The Legacy of his Institute a persistent determination that it Ideas 1993). Interestingly, he never latter years, mainly due to arthritis and should be sensibly governed and free published on his great-grandfather impaired mobility, he never failed to from controversy. He acted as Librarian Charles’s illness. come to the Galton Institute meetings for many years, and once as Honorary In 1999 the annual symposium of the when he was the Secretary. The journey Secretary, but apart from his Council Galton Institute was interrupted by some from Cambridge involved a considerable amount of discomfort and pain for him, work his main contribution lay in the protesters and it began to look as though especially when the meeting was held at numerous publications of the Institute, the future of the annual symposia was in the Linnean Society where he had to some of which arose from meetings he jeopardy. Milo undertook a rescue climb four flights of stairs to get to the had helped to organise. operation by getting the agreement of the committee rooms. Milo was born in London on 9 Royal Society of Medicine to host the Milo contributed enormously to the August 1924 and educated at Oundle Institute’s 2001 symposium ‘A Century running of the Galton Institute. He was School and Trinity College, Cambridge, of Mendelism in Human Genetics’ continuing to St Bartholomew’s which he then browbeat me into helping most welcoming to all new council Hospital, London, for his clinical him organize. He bore the brunt of the members; he was the final arbiter on all training. He qualified in 1948 and then work as well as the editing of the controversial matters, whether it be held a number of surgical appointments subsequent volume (CRC Press 2004; questions of invited speakers for the next conference, who should give the annual at St. Bartholomew’s, The London ed. by M.Keynes, A.W.F.Edwards and Galton Lecture, or what should we Hospital and at Addenbrooke’s in R.Peel). He saw to it that an Appendix publish in book form. He was most Cambridge, before moving to Oxford’s reprinted the 1901 translation of valuable as an eminence grise when Department of Surgery in 1962 with an Mendel’s paper, and himself contributed disruptions arose around the committee Honorary Consultant appointment at the a fine scholarly introduction to the book. table, and Milo with diplomacy and tact Radcliffe Infirmary. He was a Visiting As well as the 1991 and 2001 symposia, would be the one to see the best solution Fellow in Surgery at Harvard Medical Milo had a hand in organising several of School on three separate occasions. He the others. As recently as 2007 he with the minimum of fuss and aggrava- took his Cambridge M.D. in 1954 and collaborated with Steve Jones, then tion for the other members. became a Fellow of the Royal College of President, to publish Twelve Galton He was very proud of his family Surgeons the following year. In 1973 he Lectures to celebrate the centenary of the background and illustrious relatives. He never failed to pay his respects to the retired and returned to Cambridge, Institute. most eminent of them in the form of the working part-time as a Clinical Anato- Milo, unmarried and living alone, portrait of Charles Darwin hanging in mist in the Anatomy School until 1990. was always eager for company, and was the Linnean Society whenever we met He was elected an Honorary Fellow of not beyond reminding my wife and me there. I think this was one of the major Darwin College, Cambridge in 2002. that it was our turn to entertain him. We motivations for his continued hard work Although Milo published a number of did so on many pleasant occasions, and on behalf of the Galton Institute; to keep medical papers and chapters in books he he would respond with an invitation to up his family traditions. will be particularly remembered for sample his home cooking. Sometimes he writings in his retirement, ranging from would march us off to the Cambridge One of his major recent successes numerous papers on the medical history Arts Theatre (founded by his Uncle was his organisation of an exceptional of famous people, including Henry VIII, Maynard) of which he was a fervent Galton Conference entitled A Century of Napoleon, Mozart, and Beethoven, to his supporter. Mendelism in Human Genetics. He assembled a first class group of speakers, magisterial The Iconography of Sir Isaac Milo never boasted of his distin- got them all to write up manuscripts, as Newton to 1800, published shortly after guished ancestry, but of course he was everyone knows a difficult task, and his eightieth birthday. full of family anecdotes of great interest, published them in book form. Many Nor did he lack for famous relatives which he would tell in a way which people have told me this was one of the in whom to take a biographical interest, made the listener feel that he was talking best conferences that the Galton Institute for he was a scion of two of Cam- about a family member of no great had ever held. bridge’s great families, the Darwins and distinction. He must surely have been the the Keyneses. Milo was the third of four last member of the Institute to remember Milo was a true scholar and gentle- brothers, the children of Sir Geoffrey the long-serving President Leonard man, and he will be greatly missed by us Keynes, surgeon and bibliographer, and Darwin (1911-1928), his great-uncle, all. Margaret Darwin, grand-daughter of who died in 1943 (and for whom Milo’s D.J. Galton

JUNE 2009 8 GALTON INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER