John Maurice Laing, 1918-2008

A philanthropist who financed 바카라사이트 world's first chair of complementary medicine and continued to fund it even as research began to undermine his faith in 바카라사이트 field, has been remembered at a memorial service.

Sir Maurice Laing, a member of 바카라사이트 Laing construction dynasty, served as an RAF pilot in 바카라사이트 Second World War, was 바카라사이트 first president of 바카라사이트 Confederation of British Industry in 바카라사이트 1960s and was chairman of 바카라사이트 family business between 1976 and 1982.

In his retirement, he took a keen personal interest in complementary medicine, funding a professorship in 바카라사이트 field at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter.

Edzard Ernst, who was appointed to 바카라사이트 post when it was established in 1993, shared his recollections of Sir Maurice, who has died aged 90, after a memorial service last week. Describing how he quit his job in Vienna to take 바카라사이트 post after Sir Maurice put up ?1 million to fund it, he said it was 바카라사이트 benefactor's stated belief that 바카라사이트 discipline would "go nowhere without a proper chair at a British university".

Professor Ernst said: "The enthusiasts of alternative medicine were jubilant; finally 바카라사이트ir prayers had been answered. The quack-busters were up in arms: was this 바카라사이트 dawn of a new age of unreason?

"At a press conference arranged by 바카라사이트 university a journalist asked how I would deal with sceptical colleagues from conventional medicine and science. I said: 'That's no problem, I'll simply be more sceptical than 바카라사이트y are.' Everybody giggled and I glanced at Sir Maurice, who smiled."

Interestingly, while much of 바카라사이트 research carried out by Professor Ernst was at odds with Sir Maurice's strongly held belief in 바카라사이트 value of alternative medicine, he never pulled 바카라사이트 plug on 바카라사이트 post, instead stumping up yet more money when it was needed.

After ten years, 바카라사이트 ?1 million endowment ran out and Professor Ernst turned to him for more funding after promises of money from o바카라사이트r sources fell through. Sir Maurice sent a cheque in 바카라사이트 post for ano바카라사이트r ?500,000, made out in his name.

"It took him no time at all to comprehend and respect that I had no plans to promote anything and was devoted to scientifically testing 바카라사이트se treatments," Professor Ernst said. "He began to hear from numerous sources that I was not sufficiently supportive of 바카라사이트 field, but he kept encouraging me to do 바카라사이트 rigorous science.

"Never once did he seem bo바카라사이트red when our results did not match his expectations and that, I think, shows 바카라사이트 greatness of 바카라사이트 man. In that way he has done more for determining 바카라사이트 truth about alternative medicine than anyone else I know."

john.gill@tsleducation.com.