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While Western Australia's wildflowers are a drawcard for visitors, they needlessly brought an early end to the UWA career of one of our most illustrious alumni.

When David Sinclair, Foundation Professor of Anatomy at UWA's Medical School, left the University in the mid-1960s, it was with a profound sense of both affection and regret. He wasn't leaving voluntarily - he was asthmatic and doctors told him the condition was due to the State's wildflowers. He now believes that this lifelong problem was due to dust mites, not wildflowers.

By the time he realised this, the Scottish-born Professor Sinclair and his Melbourne-born wife, Elizabeth, had moved back to Scotland but he never forgot the University where he had spent "the happiest years of his life".

"I loved the place, and would continue to do so wherever I went," he wrote in his 1989 autobiography, Not a Proper Doctor.

The 97-year-old, who obtained two degrees while teaching at UWA, is now believed to be the oldest UWA graduate living overseas. He spoke to Uniview in November, shortly before appearing via video-link at The University Club for the Medical Year of 1962's 50th Anniversary Dinner.

Professor Sinclair, the sole surviving Foundation Professor of the School of Medicine, was head of the Department of Anatomy from 1957-1965. He was Dean of Medicine from 1964 until his departure and while at the University, was awarded a DSc for his work on skin sensation. The University has since created the David Sinclair Prize in Anatomy and Human Biology, and the Robert A. Milne Bachelor of Medical Science Scholarship in Honour of Professor David Sinclair.

Before his time at UWA, Professor Sinclair obtained degrees from and worked at both St Andrews and Oxford universities.

During World War II he served in France, Britain and Australia, specialising in research on biological and chemical warfare and the treatment of chemical warfare casualties. This included serving as a regular medical officer in France, where he was responsible for evacuating an entire field hospital at Dunkirk.

Professor Sinclair has also been a prolific and engaging writer. He contributed the muscles and fascia chapter over several editions of Cunningham's Anatomy , a major anatomical text, and has published at least 70 research papers, at least five medical texts, his autobiography and an amusing book called Outside the Dissecting Room - a collection of columns written for The Lancet medical journal.

On leaving UWA he became Regius Professor of Anatomy at the University of Aberdeen, before returning to WA in 1975 as the Director of Postgraduate Medical Education at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

Unable to resist the pull of his childhood home, he retired permanently to Scotland in 1981.

Professor Sinclair recalls that the people of WA captured his affection: "I think it was the general atmosphere of friendliness. Everyone was so easy to talk to and so open. The welcome I got was overwhelming. The other thing of course was the sunshine.

"I think UWA is one of the most beautiful campuses in the world and the students, being just a couple of years older, were easy to talk to. It was an extremely friendly nine years - the happiest time of my life."

Published in Uniview Vol. 32 No. 1 Summer 2013