 In his delivery of the Sandoz lecture in November 1961, titled the "Fifth Freedom", he advocated for freedom from the tyranny of fertility.Baird was born in Greenock on 16 November 1899 to David Baird, head of the science department at Greenock Academy, and his wife May.He studied science and medicine at the University of Glasgow, graduating with an MB ChB in 1922 and went on to receive an MD with honours.