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Theodosius Poon King was born in Biche, Trinidad on January 4th
1928. He attended Arouca Boys R.C. School and St. Mary’s
College. In 1946, he won the Classics Open Scholarship. He
studied medicine at the University College Dublin (National
University of Ireland) and graduated with the Bachelor of
Medicine and Surgery in 1953.
He interned at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin and obtained his
Bachelor of Science in Pathology and Physiology from the
National University of Ireland (1955). He was a house physician
at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London (1955-1956) and
Medical Registrar at the University College Hospital, Jamaica
(1957-1958).
His studies in endocrinology under Professor O’Donovan in
Ireland and Professor Fraser in London inspired his passion for
research. Appointed to San Fernando General Hospital in 1958, he
researched and published the first report on scorpion stings and
myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle). He spearheaded
research on the “Prevalence and natural history of diabetes in
Trinidad” in a nation-wide survey (1960-1961).
As a graduate student in cardiology at Harvard Medical School,
Boston (1962-1963) he worked on a team which reported new risk
factors for coronary heart disease including low HDL cholesterol
and abnormal fat tolerance. He returned to work in internal
medicine and cardiology at San Fernando (1961 – 1988).
In 1965, his research on an acute nephritis epidemic in South
Trinidad identified a new streptococcus, M type 55 as the cause.
The M type 49 and three other new streptococci were also
discovered in this study. The Streptococcal Disease Unit, which
he headed from 1966 to 1988, continued surveillance, treatment
and control measures leading to the virtual disappearance of the
disease.
In 1974, he pioneered research on paraquat poisoning with Dr.
Rasheed Rahaman and designed a special treatment protocol which
he later modified in collaboration with Dr. Edward Adoo. He
diagnosed the first patient in a 1977 yellow fever outbreak and
enabled demonstration of the live virus in the liver for the
first time.
Dr. Poon King received many honours, including the Chaconia
Medal (Gold) from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (1975)
and a doctorate in medicine from the National University of
Ireland for published research (1972).
To young persons, he offers four watchwords: self-discipline,
enthusiasm, will power and hard work, noting that one should
always develop a passion to work and to excel.
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