William Ramsay Smith
Encyclopedia
William Ramsay Smith was an Australia
n anthropologist and pathologist.
, the son of William Smith (a farm servant) and his wife Mary née MacDonald (domestic servant). W. R. Smith attended the nearby Cairnbanno Madras Public School and winning a Free Church scholarship, went to Edinburgh University and the Moray House Training College for two years.
Public School, northern Scotland, but again attended Edinburgh University, studying arts and science subjects, and won an entrance scholarship for medicine of £100 a year for three years. On completing his medical course in 1885 Smith was appointed assistant-professor of natural history, and demonstrator of zoology. In 1889 'Illustrations of Zoology' was published which he had prepared in collaboration with J. S. Norwell. For two years Smith was demonstrator of anatomy at Edinburgh, and in 1896 was brought to Australia by the Government of South Australia
to fill a pathology position an the Royal Adelaide Hospital
. Smith was expelled from the British Medical Association
and banned from the association for life in 1897 after internal conflict with Hospital staff, but having been exonerated by a Tribunal, in 1899 he was appointed city Coroner and permanent head of the department of health at Adelaide
.
In 1901 during the South African War Smith was surgeon captain, Imperial Bushmen's Corps and officer in charge of plague administration at Cape Town
..
Smith was suspended from coronial duties in 1903 after 18 charges were laid against him of the misuse of human remains, specifically the removal of heads and the collection of skeletons for medical research.. A board of inquiry
found that Smith's actions had been "indiscreet" and he was dismissed from his position as coroner. However, he was later reinstated and continued his practice of illicitly collecting human remains. Smith published A Manual for Coroners (1904), and in his spare time made a special study of the Australian aborigines. Smith was the author of The Aborigines of Australia, which was printed in volume three of the Official 'Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia' (1910). In 1913 he published 'Medical Jurisprudence from the Judicial Standpoint', and in 1915 was in charge of the Australian General Hospital, Australian Imperial Force, Heliopolis, Egypt
. There, he clashed with principal matron Bell over which of them should manage the nursing staff. An Inquiry resulted in both being recalled to Australia.
On his return to Adelaide, Smith resumed his duties at the board of health and contributed to the 'Australian Encyclopaedia', including a large part of the article on Aborigines. Following a trip to the South Seas
Smith published In Southern Seas (1924); the second half of this book mostly relates to the Australian aborigines.
Smith retired in 1929 and published a book Myths of the Australian Aboriginals (1930), a collection of narratives as told by pure-blooded aboriginals of various tribes. It has subsequently emerged that the volume was plagiarised, and was almost entirely written by the full blooded Aboriginal polymath and scientist David Unaipon
, who had sold the text to finance his own work . Authorship of the book has now been restored to Uniapon and it has been republished under his name . Smith has also been accused of sales of Aboriginal artefacts for profit.
From Ramsay Smith's writings, it is clear that he was aware of indigenous funerary customs.
As desecration of human remains was illegal, he used his position as Adelaide’s coroner to illicitly dissect and collect human remains, many being individuals of unusual pathologies or disease, most of which he presented to Edinburgh University. His writings indicate that he also robbed graves and it is believed he had once destroyed five graves to obtain one good specimen. Witnesses also record that he practiced his marksmanship with a .303 rifle
on corpses at the mortuary of Adelaide hospital. While he did not receive payment for the remains, he was rewarded for his "donations" with membership of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
and a Fellowship with the Royal Anthropological Institute
. At his death in 1937, 182 skulls were found in his Adelaide home.
In addition to numerous books, Ramsay Smith also published pamphlets and contributed largely to scientific journals and Chambers Encyclopaedia. He was interested in literature, philosophy and music, was an excellent public servant, and earned a reputation as an authority on the Australian aborigine.
, where he died on 28 September 1937. Smith had married Margaret, daughter of James Mackenzie, on 1 June 1889, who predeceased him. Four daughters and a son survived him.
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 anthropologist and pathologist.
Early life
Smith was born in King Edward, Aberdeenshire, ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the son of William Smith (a farm servant) and his wife Mary née MacDonald (domestic servant). W. R. Smith attended the nearby Cairnbanno Madras Public School and winning a Free Church scholarship, went to Edinburgh University and the Moray House Training College for two years.
Career
At 20 years of age Smith was appointed headmaster of InvergordonInvergordon
Invergordon is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:The town is well known for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931. More recently it was also known for the repair of oil rigs which used to be lined up in the Cromarty Firth on which the town is situated...
Public School, northern Scotland, but again attended Edinburgh University, studying arts and science subjects, and won an entrance scholarship for medicine of £100 a year for three years. On completing his medical course in 1885 Smith was appointed assistant-professor of natural history, and demonstrator of zoology. In 1889 'Illustrations of Zoology' was published which he had prepared in collaboration with J. S. Norwell. For two years Smith was demonstrator of anatomy at Edinburgh, and in 1896 was brought to Australia by the Government of South Australia
Government of South Australia
The form of the Government of South Australia is prescribed in its constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then...
to fill a pathology position an the Royal Adelaide Hospital
Royal Adelaide Hospital
The Royal Adelaide Hospital is Adelaide's largest hospital, with 680 beds. Founded in 1840, the Royal Adelaide provides tertiary health care services for South Australia and provides secondary care clinical services to residents of Adelaide's city centre and inner suburbs.The hospital is situated...
. Smith was expelled from the British Medical Association
British Medical Association
The British Medical Association is the professional association and registered trade union for doctors in the United Kingdom. The association does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The association’s headquarters are located in BMA House,...
and banned from the association for life in 1897 after internal conflict with Hospital staff, but having been exonerated by a Tribunal, in 1899 he was appointed city Coroner and permanent head of the department of health 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...
.
In 1901 during the South African War Smith was surgeon captain, Imperial Bushmen's Corps and officer in charge of plague administration at Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
..
Smith was suspended from coronial duties in 1903 after 18 charges were laid against him of the misuse of human remains, specifically the removal of heads and the collection of skeletons for medical research.. A board of inquiry
Public inquiry
A Tribunal of Inquiry is an official review of events or actions ordered by a government body in Common Law countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland or Canada. Such a public inquiry differs from a Royal Commission in that a public inquiry accepts evidence and conducts its hearings in a more...
found that Smith's actions had been "indiscreet" and he was dismissed from his position as coroner. However, he was later reinstated and continued his practice of illicitly collecting human remains. Smith published A Manual for Coroners (1904), and in his spare time made a special study of the Australian aborigines. Smith was the author of The Aborigines of Australia, which was printed in volume three of the Official 'Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia' (1910). In 1913 he published 'Medical Jurisprudence from the Judicial Standpoint', and in 1915 was in charge of the Australian General Hospital, Australian Imperial Force, Heliopolis, Egypt
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...
. There, he clashed with principal matron Bell over which of them should manage the nursing staff. An Inquiry resulted in both being recalled to Australia.
On his return to Adelaide, Smith resumed his duties at the board of health and contributed to the 'Australian Encyclopaedia', including a large part of the article on Aborigines. Following a trip to the South Seas
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
Smith published In Southern Seas (1924); the second half of this book mostly relates to the Australian aborigines.
Smith retired in 1929 and published a book Myths of the Australian Aboriginals (1930), a collection of narratives as told by pure-blooded aboriginals of various tribes. It has subsequently emerged that the volume was plagiarised, and was almost entirely written by the full blooded Aboriginal polymath and scientist David Unaipon
David Unaipon
David Unaipon was an Australian Aboriginal of the Ngarrindjeri people, a preacher, inventor and writer. He was the most widely known Aboriginal in Australia, and broke stereotypes of Aboriginals...
, who had sold the text to finance his own work . Authorship of the book has now been restored to Uniapon and it has been republished under his name . Smith has also been accused of sales of Aboriginal artefacts for profit.
Anthropological collection
Ramsay Smith was responsible for the bulk of Edinburgh University's physical anthropology collection, some 500 to 600 individuals.From Ramsay Smith's writings, it is clear that he was aware of indigenous funerary customs.
"After death no reference is made to the deceased, nor is his name mentioned. Relations by the same name find a substitute. A mother would not give [me] a lock of her child’s hair because she has been taught that if the child dies, its spirit will find no rest if that lock of hair survives."
As desecration of human remains was illegal, he used his position as Adelaide’s coroner to illicitly dissect and collect human remains, many being individuals of unusual pathologies or disease, most of which he presented to Edinburgh University. His writings indicate that he also robbed graves and it is believed he had once destroyed five graves to obtain one good specimen. Witnesses also record that he practiced his marksmanship with a .303 rifle
Lee-Enfield
The Lee-Enfield bolt-action, magazine-fed, repeating rifle was the main firearm used by the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century...
on corpses at the mortuary of Adelaide hospital. While he did not receive payment for the remains, he was rewarded for his "donations" with membership of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
and a Fellowship with the Royal Anthropological Institute
Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland
The Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland is the world's longest established anthropological organization, with a global membership. Since 1843, it has been at the forefront of new developments in anthropology and new means of communicating them to a broad audience...
. At his death in 1937, 182 skulls were found in his Adelaide home.
In addition to numerous books, Ramsay Smith also published pamphlets and contributed largely to scientific journals and Chambers Encyclopaedia. He was interested in literature, philosophy and music, was an excellent public servant, and earned a reputation as an authority on the Australian aborigine.
Death
Smith spent his final years quietly among his books at Belair, South AustraliaBelair, South Australia
Belair is a suburb situated in the southern foothills of Adelaide, South Australia.-Geography:A leafy suburb, Belair was established during the settlement of Adelaide as a source of timber. Parts of Belair have views of the city of Adelaide, the Adelaide Plains and the coast...
, where he died on 28 September 1937. Smith had married Margaret, daughter of James Mackenzie, on 1 June 1889, who predeceased him. Four daughters and a son survived him.