Dennis Parsons Burkitt

Dennis Burkitt

Dennis Parsons Burkitt (1911 - 1993) Irish surgeon, most famous for his description of the eponymous Burkitt's Lymphoma, which he did when he was working as a surgeon in rural Africa. As a child, Burkitt lost his right eye in an accident, and was later denied employment as a surgeon for this reason. He was also a devout christian and had missionary leanings for his desire to work in Africa. Later in life, he settled in Britain, and made his second significant contribution to medicine by associating the lack of adequate fiber in the diet with many modern diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. His popular book on the subject, Don't Forget Fiber in Your Diet became an international bestseller.