Dr Betty Dowsett MB ChB DipBact  1920-2012

Dr Betty Dowsett was born in Newport Gwent and studied medicine at Edinburgh University. She worked as a GP in London, then after further studies became a consultant microbiologist. She built up an expertise in ME seeing thousands of people with ME from the 1960s onwards, working with Dr John Richardson and Dr. Melvin Ramsey. She was instrumental in setting up the National ME clinic in Essex with Prof Leslie Findley. She continued to lecture and advise patients and professionals about ME following her retirement. In 2001 Dr Dowsett was the key speaker at the launch of WAMES in the National Assembly and continued as our adviser.

Bibliography

• The AHA Factor and the THREE HOLY GRAILS
• Brain problems in ME/CFS
• Britain and the US fail to agree Guidelines on ME/CFS for Physicians
• Diet, is it such a big deal?
• Does ME cluster in schools?
• The Enigma and the Paradox of ME A comprehensive patient’s information sheet
• Human Enteroviral Infections  in J of Hospital Infections 1988: Volume 11.103-15.
• Icelandic disease (benign myalgic encephalomyelitis or Royal Free disease) in BMJ 1977 May 21; 1(6072): 1350
• The late effects of ME: Can they be distinguished from the Post-polio syndrome?
• Long Term Sickness Absence due to ME/CFS in UK Schools: An Epidemiological Study With Medical and Educational Implications 
• Myalgic encephalomyelitis—a persistent enteroviral infection? Postgrad Med J. 1990 July; 66(777): 526–530. The full article is reprinted in The Clinical and Scientific Basis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, edited by Dr Byron Hyde.
• Redefinitions Of ME/CFS – A 20th Century Phenomenon
• Rehabilitation in ME
• A Rose By Any Other Name
• So, you have been diagnosed as suffering from M.E.! Advice to New Patients
• There’s no smoke without fire! some comments on the tendency to relapse in ME.
• Thyroid function in ME 
• Time to put the exercise cure to rest
• Virus, what virus? 
• What is ME/CFS? (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) A Short Introductory Leaflet

Dr Margaret Wright examines Dr Betty Dowsett’s research: Questions hold the key to secret of post-viral fatigue cases