LECTURES (Non-medical) by Dr Peter R Brinsden FRCOG FRGS.

The following are lectures Peter Brinsden is able and happy to give to any audience that might be interested and willing to listen to him! They are all heavily illustrated and are aimed at audiences of all backgrounds.

Peter Brinsden is a retired Consultant Gynaecologist and Specialist in Reproductive Medicine. He served in the Royal Navy as an Obstetrician/Gynaecological surgeon for 20 years, retiring from the Navy in 1982 in the rank of Surgeon Commander. He then specialised in reproductive medicine (IVF and related treatments), finally becoming Medical Director of Bourn Hall Clinic, Cambridge, the World's first IVF ('Test-tube baby') Clinic, founded by the pioneers Robert Edwards (Nobel Laureat) and Patrick Steptoe, who together 'created' Louise Brown, the first IVF baby. More Information about Peter can be discovered on: Google, Wikipedia and Who's Who?

He can be contacted at: email: peter@brinsden.net, or brinsdenp@me.com. Telephone: 01822 614306 or +44 (0)7971 381463.

"Admiral Lord Nelson: Hurt Hero ... and Hypochondriac?" By Dr Peter R Brinsden (Surgeon Commander, Royal Navy (Rtd.) An account of Nelson's life, with particular reference to the many wounds and illnesses he suffered in his campaigns and battles, which are briefly described. Finally, on how Nelson was thought of by his fellow officers and men, 'the man' himself, 'the hero' and the idea suggested that he was an hypochondriac are considered and conclusions drawn.

"Nelson and his Surgeons" or "Medicine and Surgery in Nelson's Navy". By Dr Peter R Brinsden (Surgeon Commander, Royal Navy (Rtd.) An account of medicine and surgery as practiced by Naval Surgeons and Physicians in the era of the Georgian Navy. Death in the Navy at this time was very much more commonly due to illness, diseases and accidents, than to sea battles. Keeping the officers and men of the Navy fit therefore was a priority in order to keep the ships fully manned. However, some of the treatments meted out at the time often did more harm than good. Nelson, our much-wounded national hero, and his excellent relationship with his many surgeons and his concern for the welfare of his men is also considered. This talk is aimed at lay and medical audiences.

“Nelson’s Three Great Battles: The Nile, Copenhagen and Trafalgar”. By Dr Peter Brinsden (Surgeon Commander, Royal Navy (Rtd.) Admiral Lord Nelson is hailed as our greatest ever sea hero. He achieved remarkable victories over the French or combined French and Spanish fleets at the battles of the Nile (1798), Copenhagen (1801) and Trafalgar (1805). These victories, particularly at Trafalgar, ensured that Emperor Napoleon would never be able to invade England and that Britain became the predominant naval force in the World for the next century. The events leading up to these three great sea battles, the battles themselves and their aftermaths are reviewed in this presentation.

“Nelson and Malta”. By Dr Peter Brinsden (Surgeon Commander, Royal Navy (Rtd.) Admiral Lord Nelson is hailed as our greatest ever sea hero, with victories at the battles of The Nile, Copenhagen and Trafalgar. However, little is remembered of how Admiral Lord Nelson was largely responsible for defeating the French after their invasion and occupation of Malta in 1798. It was also Nelson who, at the invitation of the Maltese people, saw the Island brought under the governance of the British until its independence in 1964.

"The Assisted Reproductive Technologies: We can do them, but should we?" (Alternative title: "The 'Baby Making' Technologies: We can do them, but should we?"). By Dr Peter Brinsden, Retired Consultant Gynaecologist and Specialist in Fertility and Assisted Reproduction. Peter will describe the early years leading up to the birth of Louise Brown, the World's first "test-tube baby" in 1978 and the many controversies that have arisen in the more than 40 years since her birth. Many 'spin-off' technologies have developed from the basic and original in vitro fertilisation (IVF). These include: intracytoplasmic sperm injection, IVF surrogacy, babies for same-sex couples, cloning, three parent babies, stem cell technology and the latest controversial treatments of mitochondrial DNA donation and manipulation of genes. This lecture is aimed at medical and non-medical audiences and is heavily illustrated.

“China: Fantastic Facts – Ancient and Modern” By Dr Peter Brinsden Peter has had a fascination with the history of China since his childhood. He was born in Peking (now Beijing) in 1940, the fourth generation of his American Presbyterian Missionary family to be born in China. Peter has visited China since then on many occasions in the last thirty years to conferences and as a lecturer. He holds four Honorary or Visiting Professorships in China. In this lecture Peter describes the China of the past and looks at the amazing history of China, her many ‘World first’ inventions and ideas developed there long before the West; going on to take a look at the China and its people of today.

"My Family in China: 1870 – 2018”. By Dr Peter Brinsden, Retired Consultant Gynaecologist and Specialist in Fertility and Assisted Reproduction. Dr Brinsden's Family first went to China in 1870 as American Presbyterian Missionaries, where they served until the 1930s, when his English Father first went to China. Peter was born in Peking (now Beijing) in 1940, the fourth generation of his family to be born in China. Peter has visited China since then on many occasions in the last thirty years to conferences and as a lecturer. He holds four Honorary or Visiting Professorships in China and has led three international groups of Fellows of his Royal College on tours of China. In this talk Peter describes the China of the past, as seen through the eyes of his family, up to the present day. The lecture is heavily illustrated with archive and recent pictures.

“The Fascinating Culture and Art of Japan”. By Dr Peter Brinsden, Retired Consultant Gynaecologist and Specialist in Fertility and Assisted Reproduction. Peter Brinsden has visited Japan on many occasions to lecture and attend conferences. He has a strong family connection with Japan through the American side of his family and has developed a deep interest in many of the unique and fascinating cultural traditions of Japan. In this lecture Peter takes a personal look at some of these and shares some of his travel stories.

"Galapagos: The Enchanted Islands". By Dr Peter Brinsden Peter Brinsden is an enthusiastic wildlife photographer. He had the privilege of travelling to the Galapagos Islands where, in 1835, Charles Darwin was inspired to develop his theory of evolution, which led to the publication of his then controversial book - ‘On the Origin of Species’ in 1859. In this lecture, Peter will describe his personal journey around the Galapagos Islands and show some of the dramatic wildlife of what have been described as "these enchanted islands".

"The Masai Mara: A wildlife photographer's dream". By Dr Peter Brinsden Peter Brinsden is an enthusiastic wildlife photographer. He recently had the privilege of travelling to the Masai Mara in Kenya. In this lecture he describes his journey, the dramatic wildlife and the wonderful Masai people.

"Wildlife of the Polar Regions" By Dr Peter Brinsden Peter Brinsden is an enthusiastic wildlife photographer. He recently had the privilege of travelling to both the Arctic and the Antarctic regions, including The Falkland Islands and South Georgia. In this talk, Peter describes through his pictures the amazing scenery and wildlife of these two 'wonderlands'.

"The Pre-history of Malta". By Dr Peter Brinsden Peter served at the Royal Naval Hospital Malta twice in the 1970s, during which tours he developed a fascination with the very early history of Malta. It is said that there is more history on this island per square kilometer than anywhere else on earth! In this lecture he gives an account of the fascinating story of the 5,000 - 2,500 BC tombs, temples and artifacts of Malta. Older than the pyramids of Egypt and Stonehenge ... and even more interesting!

(Lectures. Non-medical. Jan’23)