Robert Hamilton Russell
Encyclopedia
Robert Hamilton Russell, FRCS
, (3 September 1860 – 30 April 1933) was an English
-born Australia
n surgeon, president of the Medical Society of Victoria from 1903.
, Kent
, England, the youngest son of James Russell, a farmer, and his wife Ellen, née Phillips. Russell was educated at Nassau school, Barnes, London, and then from 1878 at the medical school of King's College Hospital
where he was a pupil of Joseph Lister
's eventually becoming the last of the house surgeons who worked under his personal guidance. Russell took the diploma of M.R.C.S.
in 1882 and, after experience as a house surgeon at King's College hospital, went to Shrewsbury
for two years as resident surgeon at the Royal Salop Infirmary 1884–85. Russell then studied in Continental Europe before returning to England in 1889 suffering a lung condition (possibly tuberculosis
), and became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (London).
a suburb of Melbourne
, as a general practitioner. Here he became doctor to the Granger family and commenced a lifelong friendship with Percy Grainger
. Russell was, however, anxious to do surgical work and in 1892 was appointed a member of the honorary staff of the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
. Russell became particularly interested in the problem of inguinal hernia
in the young and read a paper on this subject at the intercolonial medical congress at Brisbane in 1899. This and other papers on allied subjects were published in The Lancet
in 1899 and 1900. In 1901 Russell was appointed to the honorary surgical staff of The Alfred Hospital
, Melbourne. In 1903 Russell was elected president of the Medical Society of Victoria, his presidential address was an exposition on "The Congenital Origin of Hernia
", given in January 1904. His reputation as a surgeon was now established, and his papers in medical journals were giving him worldwide recognition; some particularly important and original work dealt with the treatment of fractures. Russell was in England when World War I
broke out and did valuable work both in France
and England in the earlier years of it. On his return to Australia he took up his work again at the Alfred and Children's
hospitals, but resigned his Alfred hospital appointment in 1920 and five years later retired from the children's hospital. In 1920 he founded the Victorian Association of Surgeons. After his retirement he retained his interest in surgery and particularly in the foundation of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
at Melbourne. At the annual meeting of the fellows of that college in 1930 he was presented with his portrait by George Washington Lambert
. He had been a member of the council from its inception, and at the time of his death was as censor-in-chief entrusted with the controlling of admissions to fellowship. In later years he suffered from osteoarthritis
, became very lame, and was threatened with the loss of the sight of one of his eyes. This may have been a contributing cause of the accident by which he lost his life while driving a motor car on 30 April 1933. He never married, he was cremated and the remains returned to England.
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons is a professional qualification to practise as a surgeon in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland...
, (3 September 1860 – 30 April 1933) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born 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, president of the Medical Society of Victoria from 1903.
Early life
Russell was born at FarninghamFarningham
Farningham is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent in England. It is located on the River Darent, south of Dartford, and has a population of 1,289...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England, the youngest son of James Russell, a farmer, and his wife Ellen, née Phillips. Russell was educated at Nassau school, Barnes, London, and then from 1878 at the medical school of King's College Hospital
King's College Hospital
King's College Hospital is an acute care facility in the London Borough of Lambeth, referred to locally and by staff simply as "King's" or abbreviated internally to "KCH"...
where he was a pupil of Joseph Lister
Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister
Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister OM, FRS, PC , known as Sir Joseph Lister, Bt., between 1883 and 1897, was a British surgeon and a pioneer of antiseptic surgery, who promoted the idea of sterile surgery while working at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary...
's eventually becoming the last of the house surgeons who worked under his personal guidance. Russell took the diploma of M.R.C.S.
Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons
MRCS is a professional qualification for surgeons in the UK and IrelandIt means Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. In the United Kingdom, doctors who gain this qualification traditionally no longer use the title 'Dr' but start to use the title 'Mr', 'Mrs', 'Miss' or 'Ms'.There are 4 surgical...
in 1882 and, after experience as a house surgeon at King's College hospital, went to Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
for two years as resident surgeon at the Royal Salop Infirmary 1884–85. Russell then studied in Continental Europe before returning to England in 1889 suffering a lung condition (possibly tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
), and became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (London).
Australia
Russell went to Australia for the benefit of his health, arriving in 1890 and established himself at HawthornHawthorn, Victoria
Hawthorn is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara...
a suburb of 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...
, as a general practitioner. Here he became doctor to the Granger family and commenced a lifelong friendship with Percy Grainger
Percy Grainger
George Percy Aldridge Grainger , known as Percy Grainger, was an Australian-born composer, arranger and pianist. In the course of a long and innovative career he played a prominent role in the revival of interest in British folk music in the early years of the 20th century. He also made many...
. Russell was, however, anxious to do surgical work and in 1892 was appointed a member of the honorary staff of the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
The Royal Children's Hospital is a major children's hospital in Melbourne, Australia.As the major paediatric hospital in Victoria, the Royal Children's Hospital and offers a full range of clinical services, tertiary care and health promotion and prevention programs for children and adolescents...
. Russell became particularly interested in the problem of inguinal hernia
Inguinal hernia
An inguinal hernia is a protrusion of abdominal-cavity contents through the inguinal canal. They are very common , and their repair is one of the most frequently performed surgical operations....
in the young and read a paper on this subject at the intercolonial medical congress at Brisbane in 1899. This and other papers on allied subjects were published in The Lancet
The Lancet
The Lancet is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal. It is one of the world's best known, oldest, and most respected general medical journals...
in 1899 and 1900. In 1901 Russell was appointed to the honorary surgical staff of The Alfred Hospital
The Alfred Hospital
The Alfred, also known as Alfred Hospital or The Alfred Hospital, is a major hospital in Melbourne, Victoria. It is the second oldest hospital in Victoria, and the oldest Melbourne hospital still operating on its original site...
, Melbourne. In 1903 Russell was elected president of the Medical Society of Victoria, his presidential address was an exposition on "The Congenital Origin of Hernia
Hernia
A hernia is the protrusion of an organ or the fascia of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it. A hiatal hernia occurs when the stomach protrudes into the mediastinum through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm....
", given in January 1904. His reputation as a surgeon was now established, and his papers in medical journals were giving him worldwide recognition; some particularly important and original work dealt with the treatment of fractures. Russell was in England when 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...
broke out and did valuable work both in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and England in the earlier years of it. On his return to Australia he took up his work again at the Alfred and Children's
Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
The Royal Children's Hospital is a major children's hospital in Melbourne, Australia.As the major paediatric hospital in Victoria, the Royal Children's Hospital and offers a full range of clinical services, tertiary care and health promotion and prevention programs for children and adolescents...
hospitals, but resigned his Alfred hospital appointment in 1920 and five years later retired from the children's hospital. In 1920 he founded the Victorian Association of Surgeons. After his retirement he retained his interest in surgery and particularly in the foundation 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....
at Melbourne. At the annual meeting of the fellows of that college in 1930 he was presented with his portrait by George Washington Lambert
George Washington Lambert
George Washington Thomas Lambert ARA was an Australian artist, known principally for portrait paintings and as a war artist during the First World War.-Early life:...
. He had been a member of the council from its inception, and at the time of his death was as censor-in-chief entrusted with the controlling of admissions to fellowship. In later years he suffered from osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is a group of mechanical abnormalities involving degradation of joints, including articular cartilage and subchondral bone. Symptoms may include joint pain, tenderness, stiffness, locking, and sometimes an effusion...
, became very lame, and was threatened with the loss of the sight of one of his eyes. This may have been a contributing cause of the accident by which he lost his life while driving a motor car on 30 April 1933. He never married, he was cremated and the remains returned to England.