Sir James Mackenzie

Sir James Mackenzie (April 12, 1853 - January 26, 1925) was a Scottish cardiologist, pioneer in the study of cardiac arrhythmias.

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Biography

James Mackenzie was born in Scone, where his father was a farmer. After receiving his MD degree at the University of Edinburgh in 1882, Mackenzie practiced medicine for more than a quarter of a century in Burnley, in the borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England. While he was engaged in a busy practice, he made many original observations and had many scientific papers published.

At first he used a sphygmograph of Riva-Rocci for graphically recording a pulse; then he was first to make simultaneous records of the arterial and venous pulses with a device that he called a "polygraph," to evaluate the condition of the heart and to measure the AV interval. In 1890 he discovered premature ventricular contractions. Mackenzie also drew attention to the question of the heart's capacity for work, paving the way for the study of the energetics of the heart muscle.

In 1887 he married Frances Jackson and honeymooned in Italy. He had two daughters Dorothy (born in 1888) and Jean (in 1893. He left Burnley for London and set up as a consulting physician in November 1907. His reputation grew rapidly. His polygraph enabled Mackenzie to make original distinctions between harmless and dangerous types of pulse irregularities. He also demonstrated the efficacy of the Digitalis in the treatment of arrhythmias. In 1915 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and he was knighted.

Selected writings

• Mackenzie, James (1916). Principles of diagnosis and treatment in heart affections. London: Henry Frowde, Hodder & Stoughton. 
• Mackenzie, James (1921). Heart disease and pregnancy. London: Henry Frowde, Hodder & Stoughton. 
• Mackenzie, James (1909). Symptoms and their interpretation. London: Shaw & Sons. 
• Mackenzie, James (1919). The future of medicine. London: Henry Frowde, Hodder & Stoughton. 
• Mackenzie, James (1923). Angina pectoris. London: Henry Frowde, Hodder & Stoughton. 
• Mackenzie, James (1908). Diseases of the heart. London: Henry Frowde, Hodder & Stoughton. 
• Mackenzie, James (1902). The study of the pulse. Arterial, venous, and hepatic and of the movements of the heart. Edinburgh: Young J. Pentland. 

References

• Murdoch J, Denz-Penhey H (Oct-Dec 2007). "John Flynn meets James Mackenzie: developing the discipline of rural and remote medicine in Australia". Rural Remote Health 7 (4): 726. PMID 17944551.
• Moorhead R. (Jan 1999). "Sir James Mackenzie (1853-1925): views on general practice education and research". J R Soc Med 92 (1): 38-43. PMID 10319040.
• Murdoch JC. (Oct 1997). "Mackenzie's puzzle--the cornerstone of teaching and research in general practice.". Br J Gen Pract 47 (423): 656-8.. PMID 9474833.
• McMichael J. (Jul 1981). "Sir James Mackenzie and atrial fibrillation--a new perspective". J R Coll Gen Pract 31 (228): 402-6.. PMID 7033523.