MHSNJ Zoom Program—Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 7:00 pm EDT

Donald F. Kent Memorial Lecture

Speaker:     Jock Murray, MD, OC, ONS

Topic:         “Artists Who Painted Their Own Illness”

Summary

Artists may turn to their art to illustrate their own illness for several reasons.  Among the reasons, they may wish to document the experience (e.g., Robert Pope, Freda Kahlo), to help them deal with their illness (e.g., Elizabeth Layton), or to express the experience (e.g., Edvard Munch, Dick Ket, William Utermohlen, Vincent van Gogh).

The talk will illustrate how these talented artists expressed themselves through their images. 

About the Speaker

Dr. Murray is Professor Emeritus and former Dean of Medicine at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

As a clinical neurologist, Dr. Murray developed the Dalhousie Multiple Sclerosis Research Unit, has received lifetime awards from the American and Canadian MS Societies, and was the first neurologist to be elected a “Giant of MS.”  He also published an award-winning book on the history of multiple sclerosis.

Dr. Murray is chairman emeritus of the Board of Regents of the American College of Physicians.  He served as president of the American Osler Society, which awarded him a lifetime achievement award.  He was vice president of the American Academy of Neurology, which awarded him the Dr. A.B. Baker Award for contributions to neurological education and the McHenry Award for medical history.

Dr. Murray is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of Nova Scotia. He has been inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.

Dr. Murray and his wife, Janet, have four children and seven grandchildren. He and his wife have published a biography of Sir Charles Tupper, the only physician to serve as Prime Minister of Canada.  (Incidentally, this book was reviewed by Jacalyn Duffin for the journal Medical History in 2001.) In addition, he has co-authored works with each of his children and a book of medical quotations with Dr. Edward Huth.