Pincus Taft came from a Ukranian family with a strong medical tradition. His father Morris, a pharmacist, immigrated to Australia about 1914, his mother was Rose Wittner whose family owned a well known shoe store. The tradition has continued, members of the Taft family have been prominent in dermatology, pathology, radiology, and endocrinology in Melbourne.

He was educated at Ripponlea and Elwood State Schools and Melbourne High School and completed a shortened wartime medical course in 1942. After residency at the Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH), he served as a captain in the AAMC in the Solomon Islands and New Britain from 1944 to 1947. Returning to the Melbourne Hospital as a registrar he became interested in endocrinology and diabetes and was appointed the second Cleveland Exchange Fellow at Western Reserve University in 1950-51 where he worked with Max Miller. After some time at King’s College Hospital in London, he took up the appointment of Honorary Physician to the diabetes clinic at the RMH in 1951. In 1952 with Ronald Rome he established a diabetic clinic at the Royal Women’s’ Hospital. This resulted in a great improvement in foetal mortality. At both these clinics he not only personally cared for most of the patients but also closely involved dieticians, social workers, and chiropodists in their care. In 1957, with Roger Melick (qv2) he established an endocrine clinic at the RMH. In 1963 he was appointed Director of the Diabetic and Metabolic Unit at the Alfred Hospital Melbourne and became an associate professor in Biochemistry at Monash University. He held both these positions until 1978 but then continued as a consultant for some years. At the Women’s’ Hospital from 1965-74 he was in charge of the endocrine clinic in which the early use of gonadotrophin stimulated ovulation for infertility was conducted. From 1979-85 he was senior visiting medical officer at the endocrine and diabetes clinics at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne. His service in four of the major teaching hospitals in Melbourne is unique.

Pincus Taft was one of the founders of Australian endocrinology. With Bryan Hudson (qv3) and Basil Hetzel he was a moving spirit in the foundation of the Endocrine Society of Australia in 1958, its first secretary-treasurer and later president. He was a founding member of the Australian Diabetes Society, president from 1978-1980, and the foundation chairman of the RACP specialist advisory committee in endocrinology 1976-8 as well as serving on many other professional committees including the RACP Victorian State Committee 1964-8. He was a superb clinician and teacher but had a continuing scientific curiosity about clinical problems which inspired both his own and colleagues’ interest in research leading to many publications. These included, in 1954, the first thorough biopsy study of renal disease in diabetes, and a remarkable study of body hair distribution in old age to clarify its importance in the clinical diagnosis of hypopituitarism. During his professional life he guided and encouraged the training and professional lives of most physicians and scientists involved in endocrinology in Melbourne, as well as many others throughout Australia. He is remembered by graduates of both Melbourne and Monash medical schools as a clear and innovative teacher, and he had the ability to quietly teach both postgraduates and patients whilst making them feel comfortable in their own knowledge.

He commenced private practice in endocrinology and diabetes in 1951 and maintained a very large and busy practice until two month's before his death. This never interfered with his commitment to the personal care of public hospital patients. He worked long hours visiting patients in hospitals throughout Melbourne and in their homes, and maintaining telephone contact extensively. He believed he got more from his patients than he gave them. In later years his practice became divided between the care of long term mainly diabetic patients and the duties of the ultimate consultant in all aspects of endocrinology in Melbourne.

Pincus Taft married Tamara Heselev, an occupational therapist and the daughter of a musician in 1952 and they had two daughters Lisa and Jennifer. Friends and visitors were always hospitably and delightfully welcomed to the Taft home and their marriage was a very happy one. He was a director of the Jewish Welfare Society for many years, and enjoyed reading and social life but his major interests were his family and medicine.

He bore his last illness due to a carcinoma of the lung with cheerfulness and fortitude, memorably speaking at a symposium held in his honour despite considerable pain. He treated all as his equals and is remembered as a balding bespectacled gentleman of medium height with a smile and a cheery word that comforted those for whom he cared and warmed all he had contact with.