A tribute to Dr Sidney Dyke.

Sidney Campbell Dyke, founder of the Association of Clinical Pathologists and for many years a member of the Advisory Board of this Journal, died on 3 March. He was 88. Obituary notices have already been published in the British Medical Journal and Lancet (22 March). These have recorded Dyke's distinguished scholastic career, his wide range of scientific interests, his motives in founding the ACP, and his share in the promotion first of the European and later of the International Society of Clinical Pathology: also the fact that he edited all six editions of Recent Advances in Clinical Pathology from 1946 to 1973. Those of us who knew him well must have noticed with pleasure that special mention was made of his kindness to patients and junior colleagues. Here in this Journal we now pay special tribute to Dyke's unique contribution to the development of clinical pathology in this country and to his share in the inauguration of this Journal. The ACP owes its origin to a letter from Dyke, published in both the BMJ and the Lancet in January 1927. Two years before this, Dyke had been appointed pathologist and bacteriologist to Wolverhampton Hospital. Like other clinical pathologists working at provincial hospitals at this time he met with administrative difficulties which he thought it might be useful to discuss together. This prompted him to write the letters already mentioned, inviting other pathologists to a preliminary meeting in London. The result of this meeting was eventually the formation of the Association of Clinical Pathologists. From its inception the ACP met regularly twice yearly, the summer meeting in the provinces, the winter meeting in London. The scientific meetings concentrated on new developments in clinical pathology, followed by discussion to which Dyke often contributed. In the subsequent business meeting Dyke reported on recent activities of the Council, often in an unconventional and hilarious fashion! Finally, there was the informal dinner when members were all encouraged to air their opinions. This Dyke always regarded as most useful. After each meeting a fairly detailed account of the proceedings was circulated to all members for the benefit of those unable to attend. And here we find a link with this Journal, because, from its earliest years, the ACP issued Reports and Broadsheets, describing new techniques which members had found to be useful. The possibility of publishing a Journal was often discussed but the decision to do so was not taken until a general meeting held at Oxford in 1947, at which A. G. Signy was appointed editor. I have referred to Dyke's share in the origin of the ACP and initiation of this Journal and hope I may be allowed in conclusion to quote from my personal tribute to Sidney Dyke on his 80th birthday on 5 September 1966. This mentioned some of his eccentricities, such as his way ofspeaking and writing. But I know it pleased him because he asked for reprints for relatives and friends! This was the last sentence: 'Sidney Dyke was our undisputed leader from the beginning . . .. He had many endearing characteristics. He was a farsighted man but not a mere visionary. He was always a man of action, with the courage of his convictions.' It is thus as a brave man and a loyal friend that vwe shall always remember Sidney Campbell Dyke.