John Ramsay (surgeon)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Ramsay CBE
MS
FRACS (26 December 1872 – 6 February 1944) was an Australia
n surgeon
, known for his association with the Launceston General Hospital
. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, the fourth son of the businessman John Ramsay
and his wife, Margaret Thomson, he was the brother of the manufacturer, William Ramsay
and the artist, Hugh Ramsay
. Ramsay and his family migrated to Melbourne
in 1878. In Melbourne, Ramsay attended the Wesley College
. He graduated as a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
(M.B.,B.S.) from the University of Melbourne with the Beaney Prize in pathology
, in 1893.
After a year's residency at the Royal Melbourne Hospital
(1894), Ramsay spent the next year abroad in Auckland as a resident (1895), before being appointed house surgeon at the Launceston General Hospital. In 1898, Ramsay became the surgeon-superintendent
of the hospital. Graduating with a Master of Surgery degree from the University of Melbourne in 1902, Ramsay published 24 papers, including a discussion of his treatment of hydatid disease as well as lecturing in Australia and overseas.
In 1906, Ramsay performed a successful resuscitation of the heart by massage
, opening the thorax of a patient who had clinically died
during operation; becoming the first surgeon in Australasia to perform a successful resuscitation. Designing and building St. Margaret's Hospital in Launceston, Ramsay entered private practice in 1912 upon the hospital's foundation. However, he retained his connection with the Launceston General Hospital, serving as an honorary consulting surgeon
for the hospital. Interested in the works of Wilhelm Röntgen in regards to the potential of deep x-ray therapy, Ramsay had permanent scarring on his hands and face as a result of experiments with x-ray
. In 1919, he visited Germany
to purchase x-ray equipment from Siemens
.
During World War I
, Ramsay served, with the rank of major
, as a surgeon in the Hornsey Military Hospital in Launceston, later the 12th Australian General Hospital. For his military services, Ramsay was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire
in 1924. The following year in 1925, Ramsay became president of the Tasmanian branch of the British Medical Association
. In 1927, Ramsay became a foundation fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
. Joining the board of directors
of the Launceston General Hospital in 1929, Ramsay became chairman in 1933 until his death in 1944. Associated with the Medical Council of Tasmania and the Red Cross, Ramsay was also a director of his brother's company, Kiwi Polish
. For his services to surgery, Ramsay was knighted in 1939 in the New Year's Honours List; he became the first Launcestonian and the first medical practitioner in Tasmania to be knighted. He died in Launceston
on 6 February 1944, and was cremated. The "Sir John Ramsay Memorial Library" at the General Hospital was dedicated in his memory.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
MS
Master of Surgery
The Master of Surgery is an advanced qualification in surgery. It is most commonly abbreviated Ch.M. or M.S., as well as M.Ch. and M.Chir. from its Latin name, Magister Chirurgiae or the English form of Master of Surgery....
FRACS (26 December 1872 – 6 February 1944) 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 surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
, known for his association with the Launceston General Hospital
Launceston General Hospital
The Launceston General Hospital is one of the three main public hospitals in Tasmania, Australia. It is located in Launceston and serves the north of the state...
. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, the fourth son of the businessman John Ramsay
John Ramsay (businessman)
John Ramsay was a Scottish-born Australian businessman, today best remembered as the father of manufacturer William Ramsay, artist Hugh Ramsay, and surgeon Sir John Ramsay....
and his wife, Margaret Thomson, he was the brother of the manufacturer, William Ramsay
William Ramsay (manufacturer)
William Ramsay was a Scottish-born Australian shoe polish manufacturer. In 1906, Ramsay developed "Kiwi" brand shoe polish, today one of the most famous shoe polish brands in the world....
and the artist, Hugh Ramsay
Hugh Ramsay
Hugh Ramsay , was an Australian artist.Ramsay was born in Glasgow, Scotland, son of John Ramsay. He moved with his family to Melbourne in 1878. He was educated at Essendon Grammar School, and joined classes at the National Gallery of Victoria at age 16 under Lindsay Bernard Hall and became one of...
. Ramsay and his family migrated to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in 1878. In Melbourne, Ramsay attended the Wesley College
Wesley College, Melbourne
Wesley College, Melbourne is an independent, co-educational, Christian day school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1866, the college is a school of the Uniting Church in Australia. Wesley is the largest school in Australia by enrolment, with 3,511 students and 564 full-time staff...
. He graduated as a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
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...
(M.B.,B.S.) from the University of Melbourne with the Beaney Prize in pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
, in 1893.
After a year's residency at the Royal Melbourne Hospital
Royal Melbourne Hospital
The Royal Melbourne Hospital , located in Parkville, Victoria an inner suburb of Melbourne is one of Australia’s leading public hospitals. It is a major teaching hospital for tertiary health care with a reputation in clinical research...
(1894), Ramsay spent the next year abroad in Auckland as a resident (1895), before being appointed house surgeon at the Launceston General Hospital. In 1898, Ramsay became the surgeon-superintendent
Surgeon-superintendent
A surgeon-superintendent was the official on board a convict transport ship and ships transporting indentured labour, with overall authority in all non-nautical matters....
of the hospital. Graduating with a Master of Surgery degree from the University of Melbourne in 1902, Ramsay published 24 papers, including a discussion of his treatment of hydatid disease as well as lecturing in Australia and overseas.
In 1906, Ramsay performed a successful resuscitation of the heart by massage
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure which is performed in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person in cardiac arrest. It is indicated in those who are unresponsive...
, opening the thorax of a patient who had clinically died
Clinical death
Clinical death is the medical term for cessation of blood circulation and breathing, the two necessary criteria to sustain life. It occurs when the heart stops beating in a regular rhythm, a condition called cardiac arrest. The term is also sometimes used in resuscitation research.Stopped blood...
during operation; becoming the first surgeon in Australasia to perform a successful resuscitation. Designing and building St. Margaret's Hospital in Launceston, Ramsay entered private practice in 1912 upon the hospital's foundation. However, he retained his connection with the Launceston General Hospital, serving as an honorary consulting surgeon
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
for the hospital. Interested in the works of Wilhelm Röntgen in regards to the potential of deep x-ray therapy, Ramsay had permanent scarring on his hands and face as a result of experiments with x-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
. In 1919, he visited Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to purchase x-ray equipment from Siemens
Siemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Ramsay served, with the rank of 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. ...
, as a surgeon in the Hornsey Military Hospital in Launceston, later the 12th Australian General Hospital. For his military services, Ramsay was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in 1924. The following year in 1925, Ramsay became president of the Tasmanian branch of 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,...
. In 1927, Ramsay became a foundation fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons is the body responsible for training and examining surgeons in Australia and New Zealand. The head office of the College is in Melbourne, Australia....
. Joining the board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of the Launceston General Hospital in 1929, Ramsay became chairman in 1933 until his death in 1944. Associated with the Medical Council of Tasmania and the Red Cross, Ramsay was also a director of his brother's company, Kiwi Polish
Kiwi (shoe polish)
Kiwi is the brand name of a shoe polish, first made in Australia in 1906 and sold in almost 180 countries. Previously owned by the Sara Lee Corporation since 1984, it was sold in 2011 to SC Johnson...
. For his services to surgery, Ramsay was knighted in 1939 in the New Year's Honours List; he became the first Launcestonian and the first medical practitioner in Tasmania to be knighted. He died in Launceston
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
on 6 February 1944, and was cremated. The "Sir John Ramsay Memorial Library" at the General Hospital was dedicated in his memory.