Lorimer Dods
Encyclopedia
Sir Lorimer Fenton Dods LVO (7 March 19007 March 1981) was a pioneer of specialised health care for children who founded, with assistance from Dr John Fulton, the Children's Medical Research Foundation (now the Children's Medical Research Institute
). He is considered one of Australia
's most influential paediatricians.
, the son of Robert Smith Dods
and Mary Dods. In 1914, when he was thirteen, his family moved to Sydney
and he was enrolled at Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore)
, where he remained until 1917. After Shore, he entered the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sydney
from which he graduated in 1923. After graduation, he spent a few months in the surgical wards and pathology department of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
before a one-year appointment as senior resident medical officer at Newcastle Hospital. In December 1925 at the end of his year's appointment, he sailed on the SS Moreton Bay as the ship's surgeon between London
and Sydney. When he returned to Sydney in 1926, he began to work as a general practitioner at 233 New South Head Road, living in a flat behind the surgery.
On 26 February 1927, he married Margaret Kathleen Walsh, the second daughter of Alice and Western Walsh. On 17 November 1927, they had their first child, daughter Rosemary Lorimer Dods. A son, Robert Lorimer Western Dods (known as Robin), was born on 11 August 1930.
In 1936, after 11 years, Dods gave up private practice, spending a year working as a child specialist at the Children's Hospital, Birmingham
, UK. In 1937 Dods qualified as Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
(FRACP) and in 1938 became an honorary physician at the Royal Hospital for Women
, Paddington.
He joined the 2nd AIF as a medical officer on 12 October 1939, with the rank of captain. He was stationed at the 1st Australian General Hospital in Gaza
, Palestine
. He returned from the war in late 1945 as a lieutenant-colonel. He returned to private practice in 1946, the same year he became personal paediatric physician to then Governor-General of Australia
, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
, and his two young boys.
On 7 June 1977, his wife died of a cerebral haemorrhage at their Palm Beach
house, aged 74.
On 12 February 1981, at his home in Edgecliffe, Lorimer fell and fractured two ribs. He was admitted to St Luke's Hospital where his condition gradually deteriorated. He died on his 81st birthday, 7 March 1981.
On 25 February 1947 he was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) for his service as Honorary Physician to the Duke of Gloucester.
In 1949, the year the Australian Paedriatic Society was founded, he was appointed Australia's first Professor of Child Health.
Lorimer Dods was knighted by Sir Dallas Brooks
on 6 August 1962, having being named a Knight Bachelor in the 1962 New Year's Honours.
In 1967, he was voted Australian Father of the Year.
In 1976, he was featured on the Channel 7 TV show 'This Is Your Life
'.
Portraits by Vladas Meskenas
and Judy Cassab
hang in the Lorimer Dods Lecture Theatre, Westmead and the Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead respectively.
Five days before he died, a film on his life's work was finished by Tony Culliton and Michael Morton-Evans for Channel 7.
His biography Beloved Physician, written by daughter Rosemary, was published in July 1989.
Children's Medical Research Institute
The Children's Medical Research Institute is an Australian based independent scientific research organisation created in the 1950s by Paediatricians Sir Lorimer Dods and Dr. John Fulton to "perform scientific research with a commitment to better treat, and where possible, prevent childhood...
). He is considered one of 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...
's most influential paediatricians.
Biography
Lorimer Dods was born on 7 March 1900 in Southport, QueenslandSouthport, Queensland
-Sport:The Southport Sharks Australian rules football club has a presence in the area, including a club and function centre.-Transport:The Broadwaterway is a foreshoreway that encourages pedestrians and cyclists to travel along the Broadwater foreshores of Southport.A ferry terminal is planned for...
, the son of Robert Smith Dods
Robert Smith Dods
-Personal life:Robin was born in Dunedin, New Zealand on 9 June 1868. His parents were Robert Smith Dods and Elizabeth Gray, née Stodart. His parents both came from Edinburgh, Scotland....
and Mary Dods. In 1914, when he was thirteen, his family moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and he was enrolled at Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore)
Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for boys, located in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, where he remained until 1917. After Shore, he entered the Faculty of Medicine at 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...
from which he graduated in 1923. After graduation, he spent a few months in the surgical wards and pathology department of the 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...
before a one-year appointment as senior resident medical officer at Newcastle Hospital. In December 1925 at the end of his year's appointment, he sailed on the SS Moreton Bay as the ship's surgeon between London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Sydney. When he returned to Sydney in 1926, he began to work as a general practitioner at 233 New South Head Road, living in a flat behind the surgery.
On 26 February 1927, he married Margaret Kathleen Walsh, the second daughter of Alice and Western Walsh. On 17 November 1927, they had their first child, daughter Rosemary Lorimer Dods. A son, Robert Lorimer Western Dods (known as Robin), was born on 11 August 1930.
In 1936, after 11 years, Dods gave up private practice, spending a year working as a child specialist at the Children's Hospital, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, UK. In 1937 Dods qualified as Fellow 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....
(FRACP) and in 1938 became an honorary physician at the Royal Hospital for Women
Royal Hospital for Women
The Royal Hospital for Women is a specialist hospital for women and babies located in the suburb of Randwick in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.-History:The RHW began life in 1820 as a 'lying-in' hospital under auspices of the Benevolent Society...
, Paddington.
He joined the 2nd AIF as a medical officer on 12 October 1939, with the rank of captain. He was stationed at the 1st Australian General Hospital in Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. He returned from the war in late 1945 as a lieutenant-colonel. He returned to private practice in 1946, the same year he became personal paediatric physician to then Governor-General of Australia
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester was a soldier and member of the British Royal Family, the third son of George V of the United Kingdom and Queen Mary....
, and his two young boys.
On 7 June 1977, his wife died of a cerebral haemorrhage at their Palm Beach
Palm Beach, New South Wales
Palm Beach is a northern beachside suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Palm Beach is located 41 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Pittwater Council, in the Northern Beaches region. Palm Beach sits on a peninsula at...
house, aged 74.
On 12 February 1981, at his home in Edgecliffe, Lorimer fell and fractured two ribs. He was admitted to St Luke's Hospital where his condition gradually deteriorated. He died on his 81st birthday, 7 March 1981.
Recognition
He was awarded a Carnegie Fellowship in Medicine in 1947.On 25 February 1947 he was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) for his service as Honorary Physician to the Duke of Gloucester.
In 1949, the year the Australian Paedriatic Society was founded, he was appointed Australia's first Professor of Child Health.
Lorimer Dods was knighted by Sir Dallas Brooks
Dallas Brooks
Brooks made his first-class debut for the Royal Navy against Cambridge University in 1919 as a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium. The same season Brooks made his debut for Hampshire against Surrey in the County Championship...
on 6 August 1962, having being named a Knight Bachelor in the 1962 New Year's Honours.
In 1967, he was voted Australian Father of the Year.
In 1976, he was featured on the Channel 7 TV show 'This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards from 1952 to 1961. In the show, the host surprises a guest, and proceeds to take them through their life in front of an audience including friends and family.Edwards...
'.
Portraits by Vladas Meskenas
Vladas Meskenas
Vladas Meškėnas is an Australian–Lithuanian artist, who has been a frequent Archibald Prize finalist.He moved to Sydney, Australia, as a displaced person in 1949 and there joined the Sydney Lithuanian artists' group "Aitvaras", established in 1950, which included Jurgis Bistrickas, Henry...
and Judy Cassab
Judy Cassab
Judy Cassab CBE AO is an Australian painter. She has twice won the Archibald Prize.Judy Cassab was born Judit Kaszab in Vienna, Austria in 1920 to Hungarian parents...
hang in the Lorimer Dods Lecture Theatre, Westmead and the Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead respectively.
Five days before he died, a film on his life's work was finished by Tony Culliton and Michael Morton-Evans for Channel 7.
His biography Beloved Physician, written by daughter Rosemary, was published in July 1989.