H. L. D. Kirkham

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Harold Laurens Dundas Kirkham (24 March 1887 – 18 March 1949) was an Anglo-American plastic surgeon. He was the first Professor of Plastic Surgery at Baylor University, Texas, and he led plastic surgery at the U.S. Naval Medical Center in San Diego during World War II.

He was born in Norfolk, England, to surgeon Frederick William Kirkham, who moved to Texas in 1901. After finishing school at Bedford Modern in 1904, Harold joined his father and began medical studies at the University of Texas. He later worked as the company surgeon for the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway (1910–1917) while building his private practice, focusing on treating facial disfigurements.

In 1917, Kirkham became Professor of Anatomy and Oral Surgery at the Texas Dental College, a post he held until 1932. He joined the U.S. Navy Medical Corps in 1917 and later headed surgery at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth in Virginia. In 1925, he returned to England for a year to study with Harold Gillies, a pioneer in burn treatment.

On 25 December 1941, he was called up again and served throughout World War II, both on ships and at the San Diego Navy hospital, where he became chief plastic surgeon. He retired from the Navy in 1947 with the rank of captain. In 1946, he received the Legion of Merit for life-saving surgery and rehabilitation work, and in 1947 he earned a Surgeon General commendation for his role after the Texas City Disaster.

Kirkham was a Fellow of many medical organizations, a founder member of the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and served as President of the Texas Surgical Society in 1926 and 1930. He was also a talented musician, playing violin with the Houston Symphony for several seasons, and an accomplished artist; one of his works, The Three Monks, was shown in New York. He was an avid golfer.

He married Julia Buchel in 1911; she died in 1927. His second marriage was to Margaret Shelton Shimin. Harold Kirkham died of heart disease in Houston on 18 March 1949, leaving a wife, one son, and three daughters.