Frank Clifford Rose (born Rosenberg, 29 August 1926 – 1 November 2012) was a British neurologist, active in several journals and societies related to the specialty of neurology and its history, whose research contributed to the understanding of motor neurone disease, stroke and migraine. He developed an emergency stroke ambulance service with early neuroimaging, allowing for the detection of early reversible brain damage. In 1974, he established what would later be known as the Princess Margaret Migraine Clinic, a specialist clinic for headache at Charing Cross Hospital, where in 1965 he became their first appointed consultant neurologist.
He was the secretary-treasurer general of the World Federation of Neurology (WFN), the first editor-in-chief of World Neurology, founding editor of the Journal of the History of the Neurosciences, and founding chair of the WFN's Research Group on the History of the Neurosciences. He coedited the Headache Quarterly magazine for over 20 years, was editor-in-chief of the journal Neuroepidemiology and the Transactions of the Medical Society of London during the 1980s, and he wrote several books.
Early life and education
Frank Clifford Rosenberg, also known as FCR to his trainees,[1][2] was born on 29 August 1926 in London, to Jewish parents, who had immigrated from Fălticeni, Romania, in 1913 and settled in the East End of London, where they ran a bicycle shop.[1][3] Rose had six older siblings and attended the Central Foundation Boys' School in Cowper Street, but was evacuated at the age of 13 at the outbreak of the Second World War.[3]
He gained a scholarship to study medicine at King's College in London for his pre-clinical studies, followed by clinical years at Westminster Hospital, where he gained the confidence of Swithin Pinder Meadows, one of Westminster's renowned neurologists. The encounter possibly led to Rose's later interest in neuro-ophthalmology, having, as a student, impressed Meadows with a diagnosis of primary optic atrophy. He qualified in 1949 by which time he was known as Rose.[1][4][5]
Rose had an interest in neuro-ophthalmology and his research contributed to the understanding of aphasiology. He made significant contributions to the management of motor neurone disease, stroke and migraine, three areas of neurology which became increasingly important over time. He developed an emergency stroke ambulance service with early neuroimaging, allowing for the detection of early reversible brain damage.[1] In 1974, he established a specialist clinic for headache at Charing Cross. Six years later, it became the Princess Margaret Migraine Clinic, a move endorsed by his friend MacDonald Critchley.[2][6] With regards to the role of alcohol and headaches, following his study of the effect of red wine on preselected red wine sensitive migraine sufferers, he stated that red wine could trigger a migraine, but any alcohol might provoke a headache.[9][10]
Other roles
Rose was the secretary-treasurer general of the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) when its president was John Walton. He was the first editor-in-chief of World Neurology, founding editor of the Journal of the History of the Neurosciences, and founding chair of the WFN's Research Group on the History of the Neurosciences. He co-edited Headache Quarterly from 1980 to 2001 and was editor-in-chief of the journals Neuroepidemiology from 1984 to 1990 and Transactions of the Medical Society of London from 1980 to 1986.[5][11]
In his book Neurology of the arts: painting, music, literature (2004), he included Van Gogh's likely ailments.[13] He co-authored with Marek Gawel a book for patients Migraine the Facts.[6] Of the greater than 70 volumes of books either coauthored or edited by Rose, his last was the History of British Neurology, published in 2011.[1][5]
In 1986, Rose received the Distinguished Clinician Award from the American Association for the Study of Headache. He received their Harold Wolff Award twice. In 2002, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the ISHN.[5][14]
Personal life
Three days after returning from a trip to the United States in 1963, Rose met musician, Angela Juliet Halsted. They were engaged two weeks later and after a further three months, were married.[4][5][8] They had three sons.[15] In 2006, they moved to Little Bedwyn, Wiltshire,[citation needed] where 12 years earlier, he had organised the unveiling of a blue plaque at Thomas Willis's birthplace.[1]
Twentieth century neurology: The British contribution. London; River Edge, New Jersey: Imperial College Press ; Distributed by, USA Office, World Scientific Pub. 2001. ISBN978-1-84816-166-5. OCLC261126840.
Neurology of music. London; Singapore; Hackensack, New Jersey: Imperial College Press ; Distributed by World Scientific. 2010. ISBN978-1-84816-268-6. OCLC244765474.
By any other name: An autobiography. CreateSpace, 2015. (Edited by Angela Rose) ISBN978-1514132210
^ abcdefghGardner-Thorpe, Christopher; Rose, Angela (2020). "Frank Clifford Rose". In Bryan, Charles S. (ed.). Sir William Osler; An Encyclopaedia. Novato, California: Norman Publishing in association with the American Osler Society. p. 698. ISBN978-0-930405-91-5.