TRIBUTES have been pouring in for one of Essex's most highly respected doctors and solver of the great 'Epping jaundice mystery', who has died at the age of 93.

Dr Harry Kopelman dedicated his life to medicine through his work as a consultant physician at both St Margaret's Hospital and Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, but was perhaps best known for helping to uncover a strange epidemic which hit Epping in February 1965.

It was through the work of Dr Kopelman and his colleagues that an initially baffling jaundice outbreak which affected 84 residents in the town was traced to a batch of contaminated bread in a bakery.

Through their scrupulous detective work, it emerged that a bag of flour being taken to the bakery in a van had split and mixed with dangerous chemical diaminodiphenylmethane.

Dr Rex Hayden, a firm friend of Dr Kopelman ever since he worked for him as a medical registrar in the 1950s, said: “He was very highly respected across the profession, particularly for his diagnostic ability. But he was also very highly regarded and well known for his kindness towards his patients.

“He was quite proud of his work with the jaundice mystery, although it did mean he had to do many, many medical talks about it after it happened.

“Dr Kopelman was extremely well liked and we are all very sad that he is no longer with us.”

Dr Diana Lowry, of the Epping surgery in the High Street, has also paid tribute to him, describing him as very well liked and respected by both patients and fellow medical staff.

While medicine remained Dr Kopelman's main passion in life, he was also a familiar face at Theydon Bois golf club, where he continued to play until the age of 90.

Dr Kopelman died after becoming ill following a fall.

He is survived by two sons, three granddaughters and one grandson. His wife Hazel passed away several years ago.

Would you like to pay tribute to Dr Kopelman? Contact Daniel Binns on 0779 547 6625 or email dbinns@london.newsquest.co.uk