Background
Still was born on 27 February 1868 in Highbury, London.
Still was born on 27 February 1868 in Highbury, London.
He is frequently referenced as the "father of British paediatrics". To distinguish him from his father he was known by his middle name Frederic. He was awarded a scholarships to be educated at the Merchant Taylors" School, a boys public school in London.
He was from a working class family who would otherwise have not been able to afford the fees.
He was further awarded a scholarship to attended Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. He matriculated in 1885 and studied the Classical Tripos.
He graduated with a first class Bachelor of Arts (Bachelor) degree in 1888. Following that he moved to King"s College London School of Medicine graduating in 1893.
In 1897, he published his doctoral thesis describing a form of childhood febrile arthritis today known as Still"s disease.
He was also the one to initially describe the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder). Other medical terms named after him include Still"s murmur and Still"s rash. During most of his adult life, Still"s avocation was reading works from antiquity in their original languages.
He was fluent in Greek, Latin, Hebrew and Arabic.
His choice of profession, however, was medicine and he devoted his life to pediatrics, writing prolifically about childhood diseases and serving as Secretary of the Children"s Clinical Club. His life was dedicated to improving afflicted children"s chance at survival, and particularly patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
He was knighted upon retiring in 1937. George Frederic Still died in Salisbury at the age of 73.