Sylvia Teresa Land, nee Ballard: 14 July 1935–17 November 2010

Sylvia Land graduated in medicine at Aberdeen in 1959, and after registration began work in microbiology. On moving to Cambridge her work included research into build-up of resistant Staphylococcus pyogenes in Addenbrookes hospital using phage typing and antibiotic sensitivity. Her research highlighted small outbreaks caused by transference from other hospitals on bedclothes and that neither cubicles nor nasal cream effectively prevented colonization.

Sylvia moved to Norwich and whilst raising a family she studied homeopathy, applying it widely amongst family and friends. Sylvia became a Member of the Faculty in 1972 and was an active member of the East Anglian Group of medical homeopaths.

Sylvia took over from Dr Noel Pratt in July 1996 compiling and writing the regular article “Twenty years ago” featured in this Journal. She was a pleasure to work with always positive; paying attention to accuracy and detail. I never met Sylvia, despite working with her since 1998, but my conversations with her over the years were always full, varied and filled with humour.

Sylvia was laid to rest at the Church only minutes from her Norfolk home on a snowy, but sunny November morning with over 200 people attending. We at the Faculty would like to express our condolences to the Land family; Sylvia and her husband Derek had only recently celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary.