Updated at: 1415 PST, Tuesday, June 01, 2010
LONDON: Doctor Walter Watson held the world’s record as the world’s oldest practicing doctor.
Dr Walter Watson, known to many as “Papa Doc”, has delivered 18,000 babies in his 100 years of life – celebrated last month -and still comes into the clinic regularly to see his patients – setting the world record for the Oldest Practicing Doctor.
Although he has retired from that particular role, he still makes an effort to see around 5 patients every day, including new ones. There are many Augusta-area families that have several generations of babies delivered by the doctor.
University Hospital in Augusta honoured their oldest and most valued obstetrician and gynaecologist, whose name is already brandished on the entrance to the health facility’s women’s centre.
People came to the hospital to honor Watson and his wife Audrey and say happy birthday. They wore stickers that declared them a “Watson Baby” or the mother of a “Watson Baby,” often both. However, Watson says he doesn’t feel a day over 99.
“People think it is hard today,” Watson said. “It doesn’t compare with ‘31.”