NOTED MEDICO’S DEATH

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1067, 3 September 1930, Page 1

NOTED MEDICO’S DEATH

DR. WILLIAM G. SCOTT EX-MAYOR OF ONEHUNGA A former Mayor of Onehunga, and one of the most prominent medical practitioners of the Dominion, Dr. William George Scott, died at Onehunga yesterday, after a short illness. He was 78 years of age. A native of Staffordshire, Dr. Scott was boijn at Wallsall in 1852. Ho studied 'medicine at the London hospital and when he commenced practice his health broke down, forcing him to undertake a long sea voyage. Coming to New Zealand, Dr. Scott settled in Onehunga, where, except for two short visits Home, he lived until his death. Ho was elected Mayor of the borough in 1883 and held office for four years, during which he was instrumental in carrying a loan, against strong opposition, for the installation of the present water scheme. Before that date, Onehunga being dependent upon water from house tanks was afflicted with annual epidemics of dysentery and typhoid. For many years Dr. Scott was port health officer and before the completion of the Main Trunk railway, when a regular mail and passenger steamer ran between Onehunga and New Plymouth, he led a strenuous life. When the plague broke out in 1890 he had to examine each passenger individually. In the early days he was called upon to attend the crews of the numerous vessels engaged on the Manukau, where an extensive trade was being carried on in transporting timber near the Heads, and where many hundreds of bushmen were employed. In 1900 Dr. Scott was elected president of the New Zealand Medical Society, as well as the New Zealand branch of the 8.M.A., and he made it his business to collect data on public health legislation in Great Britain, America and Australia. At the medical congress held at Christchurch in 1900. Dr. Scott dealt exhaustively with the question of public health and at his instigation the subject was placed before the late Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon, with the result that he immediately introduced and passed tho Public Health Act now in operation. Dr. Scott was regarded in his day as one of the cleverest surgeons in the Dominion. He was the first member of the B.M.A. to perform a*certain Intricate operation which made him famous at the time, but since has been adopted by the profession in all parts of the world. He specialised in diseases of the ear, nose and throat, and did much pioneer work on these branches. In 1927 he was made a foundation Fellow of the Surgeons of Australasia. His first wife, who died 20 years ago, was a sister of the late Captain J. J. Symonds, a prominent early colonist. Pie is survived by his second wife, two sons and three daughters.