Despite being open for only five years, St Hugh's Military Hospital (Head Injuries) has a seminal place in the history of neurology, neurosurgery and rehabilitation medicine. At its peak, during the Normandy campaign of 1944, it provided 430 beds for the treatment of service personnel. Between 1940 and 1945, 13,000 patients were referred to St Hugh's providing a unique opportunity for ground-breaking research into the management of head injuries. The doctors at St Hugh's collaborated with research scientists at Oxford University in many areas of fundamental research including the treatment of infection, the mechanics of brain injury, brain surgery, neuropsychiatry and rehabilitation, and the use of electroencephalograms. This paper documents these scientific advances and considers their influence on the practice of neurology and neurosurgery in the UK.
Keywords: Cairns; St Hugh’s Military Hospital; head injuries; neurology; rehabilitation.