Trevor Philip Mann (1916–1996) was the first consultant paediatrician at
the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital (RACH) in Brighton, since its
foundation in 1881. Here, he was responsible for significant service
developments, including establishing a department of paediatric
surgery and the first neonatal unit in England outside of London. Mann
grew up in South London, and aged 14 had a lengthy admission to
hospital with tuberculosis. He studied medicine at St Mary's Hospital,
London. During World War II he was a Royal Navy Surgeon-Lieutenant,
aboard the Atlantic destroyer, HMS Georgetown, and with the Russian
convoys, before completing paediatric training in London. Here, he was
involved in treating paediatric tuberculous meningitis; clinical work
that formed part of one of the earliest randomised controlled trials.
In 1951 Mann moved to the RACH where he researched infantile
infectious gastroenteritis and introduced (now commonplace) practices
at the hospital, including barrier nursing. He lived in Rottingdean,
Sussex, and enjoyed sailing, gardening and wood turning. Mann's impact
on paediatric care in Brighton was recognised by the hospital, naming
the Trevor Mann Baby Unit in his honour, upon his retirement in 1981.
This article seeks to record his contributions and reconnect local
clinicians with his memory.