Dennis Considen facts for kids
Dennis Considen (died 1815) was an Irish surgeon. He is famous for being one of the first people to use Australian native plants as medicine. He was especially known for using eucalyptus oil to help sick convicts. Considen sailed to Australia with the First Fleet in 1788. He was the surgeon on a ship called the Scarborough. This ship carried English convicts to Port Jackson, which is now Sydney, Australia.
Discovering New Medicines in Australia
Considen used plants found in Australia to treat many illnesses. These included diseases like scurvy (a serious lack of Vitamin C) and dysentery (a severe stomach infection). These diseases were common among the convicts in the new settlement.
He made medicines from several native plants. Some examples include:
- Eucalyptus and Angophora trees, which provided a gum called kino.
- Xanthorrhoea species (also known as grass trees), which gave a 'yellow gum' resin.
- Native sarsaparilla, called Smilax glyciphylla.
- The 'large peppermint-tree', known as Eucalyptus piperita.
In November 1788, Considen proudly told a colleague in England, Dr. Anthony Hamilton, about his work. He wrote, "...if there is any merit in applying these & many other simples[sic] to the benefit of the poor wretches here, I certainly claim it, being the first who discovered & recommended them.". He also sent a sample of Eucalyptus oil back to England. This sample traveled on the ship Golden Grove for more testing.
The Australian botanist, Joseph Maiden, believed Considen deserved credit. Maiden said Considen was the first to see the medical value of eucalyptus oil. This oil came from E. piperita trees growing near Port Jackson. John White, who was the main surgeon for the colony, also helped. He wrote about the discovery and arranged for oil samples to be sent to England.
Life Back in Ireland
In November 1791, Considen returned to Sydney. Before that, he had spent time on Norfolk Island. There, he worked with other Irish surgeons like D'Arcy Wentworth and Thomas Jamison. Considen was allowed to leave Australia because he was not well. He sailed on a ship called the Kitty to Ireland. He arrived in Cork in February 1794.
Once back in Ireland, he worked in the Army Medical Service. He was a hospital mate and later became a deputy-purveyor for duty in Europe. In August 1799, he was promoted to purveyor. This promotion allowed him to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh. It also helped him better support his family.
Considen earned his Doctor of Medicine degree on June 24, 1804. His medical paper was titled De Tetano. In this paper, he mentioned his important discovery of eucalyptus oil. After graduating, he was called to Cork to join a trip to the Cape.
He always remained interested in New South Wales and its nature. He kept in touch with his friends Thomas Arndell, George Johnston, and D'Arcy Wentworth. Records show that Considen was a kind person. He truly wanted to do well in his job. On January 6, 1812, he became a licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians. He passed away in 1815.
To honor his important work with eucalyptus oil, Joseph Maiden named a type of eucalyptus tree after him: Eucalyptus consideniana.
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