Remembering how much I owe to others

I have discovered ‘Google Scholar’!

Yes, of course, I knew about it, but I never used it much. In particular, I did not know it has a huge page just on me. So I had a good look at it (who would be able to resist?) and found many things of interest – for instance, the fact that (as of yesterday) my papers have been cited a total of 86 759 times, and that 4 of them have been cited more that a thousand times.

Here they are:

Two things are perhaps noteworthy here, I feel:

1. Only 2 of the 4 papers are on research in so-called alternative medicine (SCAM).
2. In the 4th paper, they forgot to add Barrie Cassileth who was its co-author.

Scanning my own articles, the real revelation was how much I owe to others, how many co-workers I have had, how many of them I had completely forgotten about, and how many have already gone forever.

So, allow me to take this opportunity to honour those who have passed away (in the order they appear on the page).

• ARPAD MATRAI was a brilliant scientist, Olympic swimmer for Hungary, and close friend. He came to London in 1980 to work in my lab. After I had left, I attracted him to Munich where we had several hugely productive years together – until he died of leukaemia in 1988.
• JOHN DORMANDY see here.
• VERONIKA FIALKA was my senior registrar in Vienna and became a good friend. After I had left Vienna, she took over my position as head of the department. We then somehow lost contact and, one day, I received the sad news of her early death.
• NASSIM KANJI was my PhD student at Exeter. She did very well, and we published several papers on autogenic training together.
• PETER FISHER see here.
• GEORGE LEWITH see here.
• CHRIS SILAGY was a brilliant GP and researcher. We did not have much contact except for one paper we had together.
• JOHN GARROW see here.
• ANDREW HERXHEIMER see here.
• WALLACE SAMPSON was a famous and brilliant US sceptic. We had various contacts and shared one paper.
• P T FLUTE was head of haematology at St George’s Hospital, London while I worked there. I remember him as kind and supportive.

I owe more gratitude to these (and all my other) co-authors than I will ever be able to express.