John Belisario
Encyclopedia
John Belisario was an Australian dental surgeon who was a pioneer in the use of anaesthesia in dentistry. Born in England
of Spanish
ancestry, he was a frail child who was sent to his uncle's plantation in the West Indies to improve his health. He returned to England and served an apprenticeship
at St Thomas's Hospital in London
but, having developed a preference for warmer climes, he decided to move to Sydney, Australia in 1841.
In June 1847, he used ether
to anaesthetise a patient and is believed to be the first person in Australia to do so. This brought him substantial fame including an honorary doctorate from the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery
and membership of a number of important dental bodies in Australia, Europe and North America.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
of Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
ancestry, he was a frail child who was sent to his uncle's plantation in the West Indies to improve his health. He returned to England and served an apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
at St Thomas's Hospital in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
but, having developed a preference for warmer climes, he decided to move to Sydney, Australia in 1841.
In June 1847, he used ether
Ether
Ethers are a class of organic compounds that contain an ether group — an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl or aryl groups — of general formula R–O–R'. A typical example is the solvent and anesthetic diethyl ether, commonly referred to simply as "ether"...
to anaesthetise a patient and is believed to be the first person in Australia to do so. This brought him substantial fame including an honorary doctorate from the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery
Baltimore College of Dental Surgery
The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, , is the birthplace of the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree , and is known as the first dental college in the world.- History :...
and membership of a number of important dental bodies in Australia, Europe and North America.