diff --git a/src/factory/FieldCreateFactory.cpp b/src/factory/FieldCreateFactory.cpp
index c4335a6..b213062 100644
--- a/src/factory/FieldCreateFactory.cpp
+++ b/src/factory/FieldCreateFactory.cpp
@@ -532,6 +532,15 @@ string Structure::getID() const
 	return id;
 }
 
+FieldConstPtr  Structure::getField(string const & fieldName) const {
+    for(size_t i=0, N=fields.size(); i<N; i++) {
+        if(fieldName==fieldNames[i]) {
+            return fields[i];
+        }
+    }
+    return FieldConstPtr();
+}
+
 size_t Structure::getFieldIndex(string const &fieldName) const {
     size_t numberFields = fields.size();
     for(size_t i=0; i<numberFields; i++) {
@@ -750,6 +759,16 @@ string Union::getID() const
 	return id;
 }
 
+FieldConstPtr  Union::getField(string const & fieldName) const {
+    size_t numberFields = fields.size();
+    for(size_t i=0; i<numberFields; i++) {
+        FieldConstPtr pfield = fields[i];
+        int result = fieldName.compare(fieldNames[i]);
+        if(result==0) return pfield;
+    }
+    return FieldConstPtr();
+}
+
 size_t Union::getFieldIndex(string const &fieldName) const {
     size_t numberFields = fields.size();
     for(size_t i=0; i<numberFields; i++) {
diff --git a/src/pv/pvIntrospect.h b/src/pv/pvIntrospect.h
index 99492bd..1a0ca1c 100644
--- a/src/pv/pvIntrospect.h
+++ b/src/pv/pvIntrospect.h
@@ -719,7 +719,7 @@ public:
      * @return The introspection interface.
      * This will hold a null pointer if the field is not in the structure.
      */
-    FieldConstPtr getField(std::string const &fieldName) const {return getFieldImpl(fieldName, false);};
+    FieldConstPtr getField(std::string const &fieldName) const;
 
     template<typename FT>
     std::tr1::shared_ptr<const FT> getField(std::string const &fieldName) const
@@ -751,7 +751,7 @@ public:
      * @return The introspection interface.
      * This will hold a null pointer if the field is not in the structure.
      */
-    FieldConstPtr getField(std::size_t index) const {return getFieldImpl(index, false);}
+    const FieldConstPtr& getField(std::size_t index) const {return fields.at(index);}
 
     template<typename FT>
     std::tr1::shared_ptr<const FT> getField(std::size_t index) const
@@ -872,7 +872,7 @@ public:
      * @return The introspection interface.
      * This will hold a null pointer if the field is not in the union.
      */
-    FieldConstPtr getField(std::string const &fieldName) const {return getFieldImpl(fieldName, false);};
+    FieldConstPtr getField(std::string const &fieldName) const;
 
     template<typename FT>
     std::tr1::shared_ptr<const FT> getField(std::string const &fieldName) const
@@ -904,7 +904,7 @@ public:
      * @return The introspection interface.
      * This will hold a null pointer if the field is not in the union.
      */
-    FieldConstPtr getField(std::size_t index) const {return getFieldImpl(index, false);}
+    FieldConstPtr getField(std::size_t index) const {return fields.at(index);}
 
     template<typename FT>
     std::tr1::shared_ptr<const FT> getField(std::size_t index) const