Breathnach Caoimhghín S, Moynihan John B
School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Ulster Med J. 2009 Sep;78(3):179-84.
Among the problems facing Northern Ireland after its foundation in 1920, one of the most daunting was the prevalence of tuberculosis, a chronic communicable disease with highest mortality among young women and men in the prime of life. Over a quarter of a century, legislative changes tardily responded, and in spite of, or because of its magnitude, Brice Clarke (1895-1975) devoted himself to the challenge. After decorated service in the Great War of 1914-19 he returned to finish his medical studies in Queen's University Belfast and held hospital appointments until he became Chief Tuberculosis Officer for Belfast and soon afterwards Director of Tuberculosis Services in Northern Ireland. For twenty years he was an enthusiastic proponent of collapse therapy, and even before the new chemotherapy hastened the natural decline in the tuberculosis epidemic he trumpeted the value of properly equipped chest clinics and generously funded welfare schemes. His garden at Hillsborough could not contain him in retirement; he set off on a slow boat to Japan in 1962, and returned to pen biographical sketches of famous consumptives until his death in 1975 at the age of 80.
1920年北爱尔兰成立后面临诸多问题，其中最严峻的问题之一是结核病的流行，这是一种慢性传染病，在青壮年男女中死亡率最高。在四分之一个世纪里，立法变革姗姗来迟，尽管问题严重，或者也正因为其严重性，布赖斯·克拉克（1895 - 1975）投身于这一挑战。在1914 - 1918年的第一次世界大战中服役立功后，他回到贝尔法斯特女王大学完成学业，并在医院任职，直到成为贝尔法斯特首席结核病官员，不久后又担任北爱尔兰结核病服务主任。二十年来，他一直热情支持萎陷疗法，甚至在新的化疗加速结核病疫情自然缓解之前，他就大力宣扬设备完善的胸部诊所和资金充足的福利计划的价值。他在希尔斯伯勒的花园无法让退休后的他安于现状；1962年，他乘慢船前往日本，回来后撰写著名结核病患者的传记素描，直到1975年80岁去世。
