Archibald Watson
Encyclopedia
Archibald Watson FRCS (27 July 1849 – 30 July 1940) was an Australia
n surgeon and professor of anatomy at the University of Adelaide
.
, the son of Sydney Grandison Watson, a retired naval officer who became a squatter on the upper Murray
. He was educated at a national school in Sydney
and then Scotch College, Melbourne
1861–67, where he was a champion light-weight boxer. As an agent for his father, he arrived in Fiji
on 10 March 1871 and was aboard the second voyage of the brig
Carl in the Solomon Islands
1871–72 which was involved in blackbirding
. The captain of the Carl, Joseph Armstrong, was later sentenced to death for his involvement in the massacre of islanders during the earlier 1871 voyage of the Carl. Upon returning the Fiji Watson was charged with piracy in respect of the second voyage of the Carl, but was later discharged from bail..
and was advised to take up a scientific career, Watson went to Europe to study medicine, obtaining the degrees of M.D., University of Göttingen, M.D., University of Paris
, and F.R.C.S., England. After doing post-graduate work at Paris
he was for some time demonstrator of anatomy to Professor J. Cantlie at the Charing Cross Hospital
medical school. In 1883 he went to Egypt
as surgeon with Hicks Pasha's Sudan force, and in 1885 became first Elder
professor of anatomy at the newly-founded medical school at Adelaide
. He taught also pathology, surgical anatomy, and operative surgery. He held this position for 34 years and proved to be a teacher of remarkable personality. During the Boer war
he was consulting-surgeon for the Natal field force. When World War I
broke out in 1914, though 65 years of age, Watson left Australia with the first expeditionary force as a major in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps
and became consulting-surgeon and pathologist to No. 1 Australian Stationary Hospital at Heliopolis
in Egypt. He returned to Australia in 1916. Watson visited China, South America, Japan, Russia and New Zealand where he usually watched leading surgeons perform operations; although he regarded Sydney's Sir Alexander MacCormick as superior.
and the Falkland Islands
. He journeyed round Australia gathering marine specimens and fishing. The 'Archibald Watson Prize' at the University of Adelaide was founded by public subscription in 1935. For the last two years of his life, he lived on Thursday Island where died on 30 July 1940, three days after turning 91. He was unmarried. He is commemorated by a memorial lecture at the invitation of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
. His portrait (by William Beckwith McInnes
) hangs in the Adelaide University's anatomy department.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n surgeon and professor of anatomy at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
.
Early life
Watson was born at Tarcutta, New South WalesTarcutta, New South Wales
Tarcutta is a small town located 438 km south-west of Sydney, three kilometres east of the Hume Highway, in New South Wales, Australia. It was proclaimed as a village on 28 October 1890...
, the son of Sydney Grandison Watson, a retired naval officer who became a squatter on the upper Murray
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
. He was educated at a national school in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and then Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
1861–67, where he was a champion light-weight boxer. As an agent for his father, he arrived in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
on 10 March 1871 and was aboard the second voyage of the brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
Carl in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
1871–72 which was involved in blackbirding
Blackbirding
Blackbirding is a term that refers to recruitment of people through trickery and kidnappings to work as labourers. From the 1860s blackbirding ships were engaged in seeking workers to mine the guano deposits on the Chincha Islands in Peru...
. The captain of the Carl, Joseph Armstrong, was later sentenced to death for his involvement in the massacre of islanders during the earlier 1871 voyage of the Carl. Upon returning the Fiji Watson was charged with piracy in respect of the second voyage of the Carl, but was later discharged from bail..
Career
Watson met Baron Ferdinand von MuellerFerdinand von Mueller
Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, KCMG was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist.-Early life:...
and was advised to take up a scientific career, Watson went to Europe to study medicine, obtaining the degrees of M.D., University of Göttingen, M.D., University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, and F.R.C.S., England. After doing post-graduate work at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
he was for some time demonstrator of anatomy to Professor J. Cantlie at the Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital is a general, acute hospital located in London, United Kingdom and established in 1818. It is located several miles to the west of the city centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham....
medical school. In 1883 he went to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
as surgeon with Hicks Pasha's Sudan force, and in 1885 became first Elder
Thomas Elder
Sir Thomas Elder GCMG was a Scottish-Australian pastoralist, highly successful businessman, philanthropist, politician, race-horse owner and breeder and public figure...
professor of anatomy at the newly-founded medical school at Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. He taught also pathology, surgical anatomy, and operative surgery. He held this position for 34 years and proved to be a teacher of remarkable personality. During the Boer war
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
he was consulting-surgeon for the Natal field force. When World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke out in 1914, though 65 years of age, Watson left Australia with the first expeditionary force as a major in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps
Royal Australian Army Medical Corps
The Royal Australian Army Medical Corps is the branch of the Australian Army responsible for providing medical care to Army personnel. The AAMC was formed in 1902 and has participated in every Australian Army operation...
and became consulting-surgeon and pathologist to No. 1 Australian Stationary Hospital at Heliopolis
Heliopolis (Cairo Suburb)
Modern Heliopolis is a district in Cairo, Egypt. The city was established in 1905 by the Heliopolis Oasis Company, headed by the Belgian industrialist Édouard Louis Joseph, Baron Empain, as well as Boghos Nubar, son of the Egyptian Prime Minister Nubar Pasha.-History:The Baron Empain, a well known...
in Egypt. He returned to Australia in 1916. Watson visited China, South America, Japan, Russia and New Zealand where he usually watched leading surgeons perform operations; although he regarded Sydney's Sir Alexander MacCormick as superior.
Late life
Watson resigned his university chair at the end of 1919 and spent many years travelling, visiting places as far apart as IcelandIceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
and the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
. He journeyed round Australia gathering marine specimens and fishing. The 'Archibald Watson Prize' at the University of Adelaide was founded by public subscription in 1935. For the last two years of his life, he lived on Thursday Island where died on 30 July 1940, three days after turning 91. He was unmarried. He is commemorated by a memorial lecture at the invitation of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons is the body responsible for training and examining surgeons in Australia and New Zealand. The head office of the College is in Melbourne, Australia....
. His portrait (by William Beckwith McInnes
William Beckwith McInnes
William Beckwith McInnes was an Australian portrait painter, winner of the Archibald Prize seven times for his traditional style paintings.-Early life:...
) hangs in the Adelaide University's anatomy department.
External links
- The Archibald Watson Prize at The University of Adelaide
- Archibald Watson Medal and Lecture at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
- Photograph of Watson and students
Further reading
- Jennifer M. T. Carter, Painting the Islands Vermillion: Archibald Watson and the Brig "Carl", Melbourne, Melbourne University Press, 1999; ISBN 0522 84853 2; 279 pp;