Richard Rawdon Stawell facts for kids
Sir Richard Rawdon Stawell (born March 14, 1864 – died April 18, 1935) was a very important Australian doctor. He was also the leader (President) of the Victorian branch of the British Medical Association, a big group for doctors. He was given a special honor called a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) for his great work.
Early Life and Education
Richard Stawell was born in a place called Kew, in Melbourne, Australia. He was the sixth son of Sir William Stawell, who was a Chief Justice (a very important judge) in Victoria.
Richard first went to school in England, at Marlborough school. But he came back to Australia because he wasn't feeling well. He then went to Hawthorn Grammar School and later studied at Trinity College at the University of Melbourne. He worked very hard and earned his first medical degrees in 1888. He even won a scholarship for being excellent in medicine! He then got his M.D. degree in 1890.
After finishing his studies in Australia, Richard traveled to learn even more. From 1890 to 1892, he did special training in bacteriology (the study of tiny germs), biochemistry (the chemistry of living things), and physiology (how the body works). He studied at famous hospitals in London, like the National Hospital for Diseases of the Nervous System and the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children. He also earned a Diploma in Public Health in London. To gain even more knowledge, he did research in Germany and visited clinics in the United States.
A Doctor's Important Work
Richard Stawell came back to Australia in 1893 and started working as a doctor in Melbourne. He quickly became known as a specialist in children's diseases. From 1893 to 1914, he was a doctor at the Children's Hospital.
He was also very involved in medical journals and societies. He helped edit the Australian Medical Journal and worked to bring different medical groups together. His efforts led to the creation of a new, important weekly journal called the Medical Journal of Australia in 1914.
From 1902 to 1924, Dr. Stawell was a doctor at the Melbourne Hospital. He was an amazing teacher of medicine. Many people said that learning from him was a "privilege of a lifetime." He taught doctors how to understand diseases, especially those affecting the chest and nervous system.
During World War I, Dr. Stawell served as a Lieutenant-Colonel in charge of the medical section at a hospital in 1915. However, he was asked to return to Australia in 1916. His skills were needed more at home to continue teaching and helping with important medical work.
He continued to hold important roles, including being a physician at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and advising the government's Repatriation department, which helped soldiers returning from war. In 1928, he became the President of the Melbourne Hospital committee, where he did valuable work for many years.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1930, Dr. Stawell became the first president of the Association of Physicians in Australasia. He was also a vice-president at a big meeting of the British Medical Association in 1932. He was supposed to be the president of their annual meeting in Melbourne in September 1935, but he sadly passed away on April 18, 1935.
Richard Stawell married Evelyn Myrrhee Connolly in 1908. They had a son and two daughters. In 1929, he was given the special honor of being made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (K.B.E.) for his outstanding contributions.
To honor his amazing work, the "Sir Richard Stawell Oration" was started in 1933. This is a special speech given by important medical professionals.
Sir Richard Stawell was a tall, slim man. When he was younger, he was an excellent tennis player and even played for Victoria. Later in life, he enjoyed golf and fly-fishing. He was known for being a bit quiet at first, but his friends knew he had a great sense of humor and could talk wonderfully about music or art. He was a good speaker and excellent at working in committees.
He was an expert in children's and nervous diseases, a fantastic teacher, and many believed he was one of the most skilled doctors in Australian history. He was highly respected and loved by everyone in the medical field. Even the famous scientist Sir Macfarlane Burnet described him as "a man of much wisdom and immense charm."
