Anstey Giles facts for kids
William Anstey Giles (born June 29, 1860 – died May 7, 1944) was a very important doctor and medical leader in Adelaide, South Australia. People usually called him Anstey Giles. He was a surgeon, which is a doctor who performs operations.
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Growing Up and Learning
Anstey Giles was born in Adelaide on June 29, 1860. He was the oldest son of Thomas Giles and Mary Giles. His grandfather, William Giles, was a manager for the South Australian Company. His mother, Mary, was the daughter of Captain William Littlejohn O'Halloran, who was an important government official called the Auditor-General.
Anstey Giles went to school at Clifton College in Bristol, England. He then studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, finishing his studies in 1882.
After that, he spent two years in Vienna, Austria. There, he specialized in treating diseases of the ear, nose and throat with famous doctors like Dr. Ádám Politzer. He came back to Adelaide in 1885. The University of Adelaide recognized his medical degree in 1886.
His Medical Career
Anstey Giles started his own medical practice with another doctor, Dr. William Gardner. They worked together for many years. Both doctors sent their patients to the Private Hospital, Wakefield Street. This hospital was special because it was the first place in South Australia to train nurses.
In 1886, the University of Adelaide asked him to teach about the ear (called otology). He taught there until 1905.
During his career, he held many important positions:
- He was the Secretary of the Medical Board from 1890 to 1896.
- He worked as an honorary surgeon at the Adelaide Hospital from 1891 to 1908. An "honorary" surgeon means he offered his skills without being paid a regular salary.
- He was also the honorary surgeon for the ear department at the hospital from 1891 to 1896.
- He taught clinical surgery (how to perform operations) at the hospital from 1882 to 1896 and again from 1902 to 1907.
- He was one of the first members of the Australian College of Surgeons. He was also the first president of its South Australian branch.
- He was the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Adelaide University in 1895 and again from 1902 to 1904. The Dean is like the head of the medical school.
- He was part of the Adelaide Hospital Board of Management. In 1896, the government led by Charles Kingston made changes to this board due to some disagreements at the hospital.
Anstey Giles stopped most of his professional work shortly after The Great War (World War I).
Other Interests
- He was one of the first members of the Royal Adelaide Golf Club.
How He Was Remembered
- Anstey Giles is honored with a bronze plaque on North Terrace in Adelaide, which is part of the Jubilee 150 Walkway.
- In 1953, the South Australian committee of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons started an annual lecture named after him, called the Anstey Giles lecture.
His Family
Anstey Giles married Rita Jones on July 1, 1891. She was from Melbourne. Sadly, their only child passed away a few days after being born in 1892. Rita herself passed away on September 9, 1907. They lived in a home on Barnard Street in North Adelaide.
