A disgraced vet who claims to have successfully treated his dogs’ cancer with herbal remedies has failed in his 12th attempt to be allowed back to the profession.
Warwick Seymour-Hamilton, now 86, was struck off the register in 1994 for keeping animals in appalling unhygienic conditions at his surgery in Orpington, Kent.
Rejecting his latest “vexatious” attempt to rejoin the register, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) urged the octogenarian to “take time seriously to reflect” before trying again.
A disciplinary committee held in central London heard that the inspector who visited Mr Seymour-Hamilton’s premises in 1993 was “appalled by the unhygienic conditions in the operating theatre” including the “prevailing smell and slime under the mat”.
He said there was “nowhere to wash” with a pile of about “100 syringes” on a dresser.
His practices showed a “total disregard of basic hygiene and care for animals”, the RCVS concluded at the time.
Mr Seymour-Hamilton, who rejects the findings of the 1994 investigation, told the RCVS in April this year that he wanted to make his 12th application to be restored to the register.
He provided detailed accounts of his extensive work “to destroy lethal bacterial infections in man and animals”.
The former vet said he had “emailed 3,221 authorities” with his findings, including the “Prime Minister 13 times and 220 NHS trusts”, the RCVS heard.
Mr Seymour-Hamilton, who said he studies veterinary medicine for at least two hours a day, has spent the last two decades travelling and “carrying out cutting-edge research” in what he calls his “totally secure research vehicle” with his dogs.
“He said he had been able to infect himself with all the diseases he wanted to and the herbal remedies he had devised had been fully effective with curing him and his dogs,” the committee heard.
He has now finished travelling and wants “recognition for his work”.
Mr Seymour-Hamilton also claims to have successfully treated his dogs’ cancers with his herbal remedies, the committee was told.
Providing a character witness for the former vet, a friend of 30 years described him as “dedicated and driven… although slightly eccentric”.
Rejecting the application, the committee concluded Mr Seymour-Hamilton has shown “no real insight” into his previous conduct.
Committee chairman Paul Morris said: “Mr Seymour-Hamilton still lacks an understanding as to why he has not been restored in the past.
“He relies passionately on his research, yet he does not support that research with any peer-reviewed publications, indeed all his attempts to gain recognition have been rebuffed.
“The committee is firmly of the view that after such a prolonged period of failing to be reinstated as a veterinary surgeon, Mr Seymour-Hamilton has to face the reality that his continued applications, taking up time, resources and expense (which is ultimately borne by all those veterinary surgeons who are on the register), are vexatious and ultimately unlikely to succeed.
“Whilst the college cannot prevent him from continuing to apply to be restored to the register, Mr Seymour-Hamilton should by now realise that this is not a good use of the college’s finite resources.
“He is now 86 years old and has not practised for over 30 years and in fact has now been off the register for longer than he was on it.
“The committee hopes Mr Seymour-Hamilton will now take time seriously to reflect and take into account the impact to all concerned of his continued applications, before deciding to submit any more.”
