Dr RAF Jack: 28 February 1920–9 July 2009

After qualifying Dr Alastair Jack was directed by the War Office in 1944 to work at a new emergency hospital at Barnsley Hall. The hospital dealt with special casualties flown in from front line battle zones. In 1947 Dr Jack set up the first medical practice in Catshill, Bromsgrove. The local Evangelical Church minister introduced him to the benefits of homeopathic medicines and he began to incorporate this form of treatment along side conventional medicine in his general practice which proved very successful.

He continued in the same practice for 33 years, marrying and bringing up his five children. Two of his sons qualified in medicine and followed him in the practice when he retired from the NHS in 1980. He continued to treat patients privately with homeopathy as well as medical hypnorelaxation in his holistic approach to treatment. Dr Jack helped many a colleague with his wise advice and in particular he shared the care of Dr Margery Blackie in her last illness in 1981.

As a personal friend of Dr Alastair Jack I have very special memories. Some of you will share the experience and privilege of hearing him lecture in the 1970s during the week long Intensive Courses in Homeopathic Medicine run by Dr Margery Blackie when she was Dean of the Faculty of Homeopathy. At that time postgraduate education was becoming a requirement for doctors to equip them for practice when there were great advances in our knowledge of disease and pharmacological treatments.

On a trip to London, Dr Jack found himself in a carriage with Dr Robin Pinsent, Research Advisor to the Royal College of General Practitioners, and they became engaged in conversation about homeopathy and research. Dr Jack's enthusiasm for homeopathy led to the first steps in the formation of the Midland (later the British) Homeopathy Research Group which Dr Pinsent chaired. Dr Jack organized teaching seminars at Selly Oak Hospital to introduce medical practitioners to the use of homeopathy. One of these was the first course on homeopathy to be recognized for postgraduate training within the NHS.

His vivid illustrations of the use of homeopathy in his own practice stimulated a wide interest and he invited experienced homeopaths to join him in the teaching. He described how he introduced a Home Remedies Pack into his practice to help families treat themselves. Many doctors found this useful in their own general practices round the country. Dr Jack described the Arsenicum patient with an acute stomach illness who roused the family at 1.00 am but was settled by the next morning, thus avoiding a home visit. Another characteristic of the Arsenicum patient with simultaneous acute vomiting and diarrhoea was illustrated by the traveller who found the compact toilet facilities on a train or plane well adapted to his requirements.

Similarly the sudden onset of a high fever in a child would be tackled by repeated doses of Belladonna and the parents would report a normal child the next day. Many of these cameo descriptions of the use of homeopathy are captured in his book “Homeopathy in General Practice”, researched by the late Dr Marion Harling and edited by Dr Janet Gray. The book uses clinical notes supplied by Dr Jack to share his 40 years of experience with a new generation of doctors.

Alastair will remain a great example to us as students of homeopathic medicine. He readily acknowledged that healing could follow the patient–doctor encounter for many reasons, not necessarily due to the medicine prescribed. He kept up with advances in medical knowledge and would share cuttings from the BMJ with me when I visited his home after he retired from active practice. He himself had illnesses which he accepted and overcame with grace. After recovering from a knee replacement, he challenged me to a walk in the nearby Lickey hills, striding out with his wife and daughters using two tall walking poles. Even after heart and abdominal surgery, he walked daily in the open air.

Alastair's interest in the community where he lived was focused through the Church and he would travel abroad with Church parties for the young people, occasionally bringing back photos of alpine plants used in homeopathy, Arnica being one of his favourites. He taught in the Sunday school and was much loved by the children, including his seven grandchildren most of whose families are also members of the local church. He was a devout Christian and demonstrated his knowledge of the Bible and its relevance in all aspects of life as we shared time together during my visits.

Alastair enjoyed a busy and full life, recognizing the best in everybody and in his medical practice showed great compassion and understanding. He has left us a legacy of wisdom and experience captured in his published articles and writings and recorded in the tapes made at Faculty meetings in London and Birmingham.