Page 19 - pp-Suter-Miscellany

been the problem. Late onset macular degeneration
seems a possible cause of his visual impairment, and
that would certainly curtail work with the microscope.
His death certificate at age 95 certified a stroke as the
cause: if one seeks a link between this and his impaired
vision, perhaps poorly controlled hypertension springs
to mind. But unless clinical details turn up in diaries or
the like, one can only guess at causes, or their time of
onset.

Suter the artist

Recently, Helen Reed sold a paintbox on eBay, to an
antique dealer in the USA. Examples of Suter’s art
work have also survived among family heirlooms. The
paintbox was awarded as a prize to Suter as a
schoolboy, by the Department of Science and Art: it is
tempting to think that observing the artistic skills in
arrangements of butterfly scales or diatoms on slides
later inspired his move from school teaching into full
time mounting.