Cecil Purser
Encyclopedia
Dr
Cecil Purser FRACP
, (16 December 1862 - 13 January 1953) was an Australia
n physician
and served terms as chairman of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
and vice-chancellor and deputy chancellor of the University of Sydney
.
, the eldest son of James Purser and Mary Ann, née Kyle. He attended school locally in Castle Hill and later at Newington College
(1879-1881). In 1882 he went up to the University of Sydney and was a resident of St Andrew's College
. Whilst at university he was captain of the cricket XI and was a noted atthlete. He graduated as a Bachelor of Arts
in 1885 and as a Bachelor of Medicine and Chemistry
in 1890.
in 1893. In the same year he married Louisa Victoria Brierley in the Congregational church
. In 1896 he became an honorary at Royal Prince Alfred in 1896 and from 1912 until his death he was a consultant physician with rooms in Macquarie Street, Sydney
. The prevention and treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis was his speciality. He was a member of the Tuberculosis Advisory Board and the New South Wales
Board of Health and of the councils of the War Memorial Hospital, Waverley
, and Crown Street Women's Hospital
. He joined the board of the RPAH in 1909 and was vice-chairman for three years before his appointment as chairman in 1924. During his term of office the Rockefeller Building
was constructed on the hospital campus. In 1933 he resigned as chairman of Prince Alfred due to his annoyance at the shortage of government financial support. On the foundation of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
in 1938, Purser was appointed a Fellow
.
of the University of Sydney in 1909 and was vice-chancellor in 1917, 1918 and 1923. In 1924 and 1925 he served as deputy chancellor. He was an examiner within the faculty of medicine for 19 years from 1911. Puser served on the councils of St Andrew's College, Wesley College
, The Women's College and Newington College and was for a term president of the Old Newingtonians' Union
.
and for a term chaired the public health and kindred sciences section of the Society. Purser was honorary major
in the Australian Army Medical Corps Reserve.
Doctor (title)
Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre . It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the university. This use spread...
Cecil Purser FRACP
Royal Australasian College of Physicians
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians, or RACP, is the organisation responsible for training, educating, and representing over 9,000 physicians and paediatricians in Australia and New Zealand. It was founded in 1938....
, (16 December 1862 - 13 January 1953) was an Australia
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 physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and served terms as chairman of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is a major public teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia, located on Missenden Road in Camperdown...
and vice-chancellor and deputy chancellor of the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
.
Birth and education
Purser was born at Castle Hill, New South WalesCastle Hill, New South Wales
Castle Hill is a suburb in the north-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Castle Hill is located 31 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the Hills District of the Greater Western Sydney region...
, the eldest son of James Purser and Mary Ann, née Kyle. He attended school locally in Castle Hill and later at Newington College
Newington College
Newington College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
(1879-1881). In 1882 he went up to the University of Sydney and was a resident of St Andrew's College
St Andrew's College, Sydney
St Andrew's College is a Protestant co-residential college within the University of Sydney, in the suburb of Camperdown.-History:St Andrew's College was incorporated by Act of Parliament and received Royal Assent from Queen Victoria on 12 December 1867. The St Andrew's College Act 1998 replaced the...
. Whilst at university he was captain of the cricket XI and was a noted atthlete. He graduated as a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1885 and as a Bachelor of Medicine and Chemistry
Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, or in Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae , are the two first professional degrees awarded upon graduation from medical school in medicine and surgery by universities in various countries...
in 1890.
Medical career
After appointments as a resident medical officer and a medical superintendent at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Purser began private practice in PetershamPetersham, New South Wales
Petersham is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Petersham is located 6 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council...
in 1893. In the same year he married Louisa Victoria Brierley in the Congregational church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
. In 1896 he became an honorary at Royal Prince Alfred in 1896 and from 1912 until his death he was a consultant physician with rooms in Macquarie Street, Sydney
Macquarie Street, Sydney
Macquarie Street is the easternmost street of Sydney's central business district. Macquarie Street extends from Hyde Park at its southern end to the Sydney Opera House at its north.-Description:...
. The prevention and treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis was his speciality. He was a member of the Tuberculosis Advisory Board and the New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Board of Health and of the councils of the War Memorial Hospital, Waverley
Waverley, New South Wales
Waverley is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Waverley is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council....
, and Crown Street Women's Hospital
Crown Street Women's Hospital, Sydney
Crown Street Women's Hospital was once the largest maternity hospital in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was located at 351 Crown Street , Surry Hills....
. He joined the board of the RPAH in 1909 and was vice-chairman for three years before his appointment as chairman in 1924. During his term of office the Rockefeller Building
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
was constructed on the hospital campus. In 1933 he resigned as chairman of Prince Alfred due to his annoyance at the shortage of government financial support. On the foundation of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
Royal Australasian College of Physicians
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians, or RACP, is the organisation responsible for training, educating, and representing over 9,000 physicians and paediatricians in Australia and New Zealand. It was founded in 1938....
in 1938, Purser was appointed a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
.
Educational appointments
Purser was elected to the senateSenate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature or parliament. There have been many such bodies in history, since senate means the assembly of the eldest and wiser members of the society and ruling class...
of the University of Sydney in 1909 and was vice-chancellor in 1917, 1918 and 1923. In 1924 and 1925 he served as deputy chancellor. He was an examiner within the faculty of medicine for 19 years from 1911. Puser served on the councils of St Andrew's College, Wesley College
Wesley College, University of Sydney
Wesley College is a Protestant co-residential college of over 230 students within the University of Sydney. The College occupies a site on the main campus of the University of Sydney and was built on a sub-grant of Crown Land.- Academic profile :...
, The Women's College and Newington College and was for a term president of the Old Newingtonians' Union
Newington College
Newington College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
.
Community involvement
From 1893 he was a member of the Royal Society of New South WalesRoyal Society of New South Wales
The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. It was established as the Philosophical Society of Australasia on 27 June 1821...
and for a term chaired the public health and kindred sciences section of the Society. Purser was honorary major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the Australian Army Medical Corps Reserve.