J.B. Peiris

Deshamanya J.B. Peiris, FRCP was a Sri Lankan Neurologist. He was the founder of the Institute of Neurology, Chairman of the Sri Jayewardenapura Hospital^[1] and was a former executive Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine.^[2]

Education and Professional training

Educated at Royal College Colombo, he studied medicine Colombo Medical College and later gained his MD from the University of Colombo and MRCP. He trained at at the Institute of Neurology, Queens Square,as a Nuffield Research Fellow London working with Lord Roger Banister and Dr Ross Russell.

Professional activities in Neurology

He was appointed consultant Neurologist at National Hospital Sri Lanka at the age of 33 and served as the countries sole neurologist for 10 years. He took the lead in both the establishment of Neurology as a speciality in Sri Lanka as well as establishing the Institute of Neurology. He is credited with describing several new clinical entities such as Non familial juvenile distal spinal muscular atrophy of upper extremity, a delayed onset Cerebellar syndrome complicating Falciparum Malaria and Transient Emboligenic Aortoarteritis.

Other Professional activities

He was a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and the regional representative of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in Sri Lanka ^[3]. He was the patron of the National Stroke Association of Sri Lanka, President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association in 1994 and President of the Ceylon College of Physicians from 1987-1988 ^[4].

Honours and Titles

He was awarded the titles Deshamanya and Vidyaj Yothi for his work for the nation by the government of Sri Lanka.

The Dr J B Peiris Memorial oration is organised annually by the Institute of Neurology in his memory.

References