GIVEN his academic achievements and outstanding qualifications in medicine, Professor Dr John Hall could easily have chosen to stay overseas and work in a country with more resources and which would likely have offered him much better remuneration for his talents.

The fact, though, that he returned to Jamaica in 1963 and established the neurology clinic at Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) as one of his first contributions to the development of his country speaks to his patriotism. It also demonstrated the selflessness of his nature and the deep concern he had for the well-being of his fellow Jamaicans.

Dr John Ambrose Samuel Hall departed this earthly life on February 21 this year, just over a month after he had marked his 98th birthday. While he had been ailing for some time, his passing was difficult to accept. But, that is the nature of man’s existence and, as such, we must acknowledge and embrace our inevitable destiny.

Professor Hall was indeed one of those gifted Jamaicans, a true son of the soil born in the Cockpit Country on December 29, 1926 and raised in the Dry Harbour Mountains.

He got his early schooling at Morris Knibb Preparatory, after which he attended Kingston College (KC).

Undoubtedly, the knowledge and instruction he gained at KC served him well during his years at the University of London’s King’s College and Charing Cross Hospital Medical School.

He also studied at the Institute of Neurology, Queen’s Square, London, and honed his training by serving as a fellow in clinical neurology at University of Pennsylvania in 1963.
After returning to Jamaica and establishing the neurology clinic, Dr Hall served as chairman of the Department of Medicine for many years.

His biography also tells us that in 1972 he served as a visiting assistant professor of clinical neurology at Columbia Presbyterian Medical School, New York City; was made a fellow of the American College of Physicians in 1976; awarded the Centenary Medal of the Institute of Jamaica for services to medicine in 1979; and that same year was appointed commander of the Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem.

He was also honoured by the Medical Association of Jamaica (MAJ) for distinguished services to medicine in 1986; and was made a fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences in 1987, fellow of the American Academy of Neurology in 1990, and fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine in 1991.

It was not surprising, therefore, that the Jamaican Government saw it fit to make him a member of the Order of Distinction at the rank of Commander, and later conferred on him the Order of Jamaica for his invaluable contributions to the practice of medicine here.

Dr Hall served as MAJ president from 2003 to 2005, a position that complemented his proclivity to mentor many of his younger colleagues in the medical fraternity.

His scholarly works are testament to his proficiency and penchant for sharing knowledge. In fact, so inviting was his personality that his colleagues were never hesitant to seek his advice and they, in turn, openly expressed gratitude for his giving nature.

In addition to all that, Professor Hall was an excellent Freemason who epitomised the tenets of the craft — brotherly love, relief and truth — as well as the order’s purest principles of piety and virtue.

Professor Dr John Hall was indeed a great man who, as Freemasons are encouraged to do, “live respected and die regretted”.