ABSTRACT
If Moran was initially stunned in August 1945 by the prospect that Horder, not he, would now be Britain’s most influential doctor, he soon recovered. If he was insufficiently known to the new rulers of Britain he would make himself known, especially to the new minister of health, whom he invited to his home for an amiable dinner for two.1 Moran also carefully supervised preparations for the October 1945 version of an annual RCP dinner in memory of William Harvey, patron saint of British medicine, at which post-war austerity would be challenged. Prime Minister Clement Attlee, minister of health Aneurin Bevan and other Cabinet members were invited. At this convivial occasion the prime minister toasted the college, and the president of the college toasted the prime minister. Wisely the president did not here articulate his conviction that he was personally descended from William Harvey. The president did speak at length, and impressively, on the similarity of personal qualities needed for success in medicine and politics.2 Since few of the politicians present hoped to become doctors, it is not surprising if some of them were privately to contemplate the possibility of a doctor becoming involved in politics. None of the politicians present could have known, however, that the president had recently written: ‘The truth is I have always hoped Winston would give me some job which would take me out of medicine.’ Even when that did not happen ‘I went on hoping’.3 That hope lasted until at least 1951. Churchill returned to the prime ministership, but did not name his doctor to be the new minister of health. Moran angrily complained to his patient.4
