SIR UNDO FERGUSON

Evening Star, Issue 21751, 20 June 1934, Page 7

SIR UNDO FERGUSON

“ DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL SCHOOL ”

OCVEN OF PROFESSION HONOURED

WORK AND REPUTATION FULLY REALISED

An honour to the doyen of the medical profession in New Zealand, Sir Limlo Ferguson, and recognition of his foresight and statesmanship in advancing the Otago .Medical School to its high standard were made by the University Council yesterday afternoon, when the Dean of the Medical Faculty was appointed director of the Medical .School.

In moving the appointment. Dr James Fitzgerald said;—

“ J would draw councillors* attention to the fact that this is the fiftieth year since Sir Lindo Ferguson inaugurated the special departments of eye, ear, throat, and nose m the Dunedin Hospital. During the wliole of that time lie has given out-patient and clinical instruction to our medical students. He was appointed lecturer in 1886, and professor in 1909, thus specially serving the council, for a period of forty-eight years—twenty-three years as lecturer and twenty-five years as professor. Dr Scott died in 1914, and Sir Lindo Ferguson was appointed dean in 1914, so j that ho has been dean of the medical faculty for twenty years. 1 believe 1. am the oldest medical practitioner at present practising in Dunedin who can speak of Sir Lindo for the greater part of this long period. 1 can speak of him from the student’s point of view, as he was my first teacher in ophthalmology, and I can bear testimony to his ability as a teacher. He in those days Walked from his home to the Hospital. We students frequently met him—the eminent specialist—in Princes street, immaculately and elegantly dressed—frock coatj silk hat, after-lunch cigar. (Laughter.) How we looked forward to the time when we would wear a frock coat and silk hat and smoke similar cigars! How the ■ fragrance lingered with us for a long time after he passed! He drives a motor ear now, and, I think, does not smoke so many Havanas. A WIDE REPUTATION. “ 1 am not exaggerating when 1 say his reputation is dominion-wide—is Australian-wide, and he is respected in Great Britain and ou Che Continent. And I may say without betraying a confidence that Ins opinion in regard to a recent case in which we are ail interested has been upheld by the Ingliest authorities in Britain! 1 think L am correct in saying he performed the first tonsil and adenoids operation m the Southern Hemisphere. Now in regard to his connection with our council and the school, l am sure you will all agree with me as to his work for the school. Me was appointed dean of the 1 acuity m 1914, and the war years were very strenuous years. With men goiug away from our Hospital the work had to be kept going. The filling of hospitals, the sending away of our young graduates to the front, and the estabusniug of the New Zealand Medical Corps in collaboration with General Henderson entailed a tremendous amount of strenuous work, vision, and foresight. He then tackled the curriculum, which badly wanted improving He visited Australia, America, Cairo, Koine. Geneva, and Pans, examining the schools. He also visited the important schools in Loudon and the provinces, Scotland, and Ireland, consulting with the authorities as to the-dif-ficulties in connection with our school in Dunedin. “ He returned full of information, and as a result ol his wise foresight and statesmanship the Medical School m Dunedin is known and respected the world over, and one of the latest recognitions is that the primary examination for physiology and anatomy required for the English Fellowship is to be field in Dunedin in October. Who would have dreamed of this fifty years ago ? This we owe in great measure to Sir Lindo Ferguson. “ Most of you know the interest taken by Sir Lindo in the new Medical School buildings m King street. Few really know the time and thought and scientific knowledge fie put in over the plans to perfect the new school. “ i have purposely gone into some detail in regard to Sir Lindo Ferguson’s career, and now would draw the council's attention to Sir Lindo’s grasp —comprehensive grasp —of any subject coming before the council or committee. No matter what tho subject, whether the dull, everyday character of works, the brighter _ subject of finance, or any subject scientific, cultural, or academic. The council without him would indeed be at a loss. FOR BETTER MANAGEMENT. “ As chairman of the Medical Committee. I am brought Irequently into contact with Sn Lindo talking over Medical School matters. We frequently diifer, but -i. Hatter myself and am proud to timik that, despite differences, we can still be friends. For many years, since 1924, J think, when at the late Dr Cameron's request Sir Lindo Ferguson was asked to put in a report as to the pressing needs of the Medical School, he has; stressed the necessity of having a director for the Medical School, and during all the years since he has never lost sight of che necessity. He insists that the position should be dean of the medical faculty and director of the school. He says it would strengthen his hands to have that position, and would make for better management ol the school. I am in agreement with him. As dean he is merely chairman of the medical faculty. As director he would have more inllucuce in working for efficiency. I can quite visualise occasions when a director might deal with matters winch need not come before the council. but which might be smoothed oyer and put right by a director acting with firmness and tact.

“ At times there may arise situations where the spirit of sweet reasonableness is apparently absent—situations where one department might not see eye to eye with another department, and we must have co-operation and team work among our staff to ensure the harmonious carrying on of our school. A director would carry more weight than a dean in tactfully but firmly dealing with such situations. I conceive and am firmly persuaded that these situations could better bo dealt with than in bringing such matters before the council. Again the director would have the vision in regard to future policy that, perhaps, the dean would not. Other special schools have their directors—mining, dental, and home science. Why should the main special school not ha.vc its director? As chairman of the Medical Committee I would welcome the appoiutivmt. PRACTICE SACRIFICED. “ One more point. I may say that I know the dean of the medical faculty has sacrificed his practice for the sake of the Medical School. How many

would have done that? Few, 1 think. Further, he has carried on his professorship (and you all know what Ins salary has been).

“ 1 speak feelingly when 1 look back and think about my old teachers in tint Otago University—Sham), Sale, M'Gregor, Black, Scott. Brown. Maunsell, Batchelor They are.no longer here, They all are gone into the land of the .shadows. All, save one. Sir Lindo is the only one of my teachers who is left, and I am proud to be chairman of the Medical Committee of the University of which Sir Lindo is dean of the medical faculty. He. is the doyen of the. profession in New Zealand. He is dean of our medical faculty.” Supporting the motion, Mr L. D. .Ritchie said they would realise that the council would always be the supreme authority. He might say that he was not always in accord with the views of Sir Lindo Ferguson, but that fact had made no difference whatever in their relations, showing the great breadth of outlook of Sir Lindo. His vision, foresight, sagacity, and ability had been proved throughout the years. The Chancellor (Mr W. .J. Morrell) said that he thought the council would have been willing to make this appointment before, and one reason why it was not was that they had such a very high sense of Sir Lindo Ferguson’s work as dean, and that he had practically been the director of the Medical School. He yielded to no one in his gratitude to Sir Lindo . Ferguson for the work he had done for them for so many years. He had identified himself with the school, and the school had identified itself with him. Professor R. J. T. Bell said that Sir Lindo Ferguson had been regarded as the director, although ho had not had the title. He suggested that the time was coming when hey would have to consider the general question of setting aside a man who would undertake the whole of the administrative work. Sir James Allen said he had always thought that Sir Lindo Ferguson had held the position of director. They had directors in the other departments, and he could not understand why they did not have a director of the Medical School.

After it was stated that the position regarding any future appointment ot a director could he considered when the occasion arose the motion was carried unanimously.