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Was born at Dumfries,
Scotland, on 20 June 1856. His father, Alexander Stuart, was a well-known
business man in his town, a magistrate and a member of the town council.
His mother, formerly a Miss Anderson, was a woman of ability and
character. Stuart was educated at the Dumfries academy and at 14 was
apprenticed to a chemist. He soon passed the preliminary examination of
the Pharmaceutical Society, and at 16 the minor examination which entitled
him to registration as a chemist when he came of age. He decided to take
up medicine, and working early in the morning and at night passed the
preliminary examination. He then proceeded to Wolfenbüttel in Germany,
studying languages in particular, and in November 1875 returned to
Scotland. He entered at Edinburgh university and had one of the most
brilliant careers in medicine ever known at Edinburgh. He was awarded 10
medals and won other prizes and scholarships. During Stuart's course
Lister was bringing in his revolutionary changes in the treatment of
surgery cases, and the young student had the opportunity of working under
both the old and new methods. He completed his course in 1880, with
first-class honours and the Ettles scholarship. He was asked by Professor
Rutherford to become his chief demonstrator, and in preparation for this
made further studies in physiology and chemistry at Strasburg. A year
later he returned to Edinburgh, took up his duties as demonstrator, and
shortly afterwards qualified for the degree of M.D.
In 1882 it was decided to
institute a medical school at the university of Sydney and applications
were invited for the chair of anatomy and physiology. Nominations were
also requested from competent bodies, and the Royal College of Surgeons,
London, the university of Edinburgh, the Royal College of Surgeons,
Edinburgh, and the College of Physicians, Glasgow, all nominated Stuart.
He was duly appointed and arrived in Sydney early in 1883. The only
medical school building was one of four rooms, damp and unplastered, and a
curriculum had to be prepared and arrangements made for lecturers,
demonstrators and attendants. There were only four students in the first
year, but Stuart had the imagination to realize the immense possible
development of the school, and was soon working out ideas for a new
building. In 1885 he had got so far that plans for a medical school,
prepared by the government architect, were approved, and in 1889 the
building was completed and equipped with the necessary apparatus. It is a
fine building in Tudor gothic and, planned internally for use, it has
excellently served its purpose. The number of students in the medical
school had increased to about 70; 30 years later the number was
approaching 900. Having now got a worthy building Stuart was able to turn
to other things, and interested himself in bringing about great
improvements in the university grounds then in a very neglected state.
Another useful piece of work was the preparation of a bibliography of
scientific literature in the libraries of New South Wales. He was a fine
judge of men, and among the afterwards distinguished men who acted as
demonstrators and lecturers in his department were (Sir) Alexander
McCormick, Professor J. T. Wilson, (Sir) James Graham (q.v.), (Sir) C. J.
Martin, (Sir) Almroth Wright and Professor Chapman. When Stuart's chair
was divided in 1890 he retained physiology, and Wilson was appointed to
the new professorship of anatomy.
In 1890 while Stuart was on
a visit to Europe he was asked by the government to go to Berlin and
report on Dr Koch's method of treating tuberculosis. The resulting report
was an extremely able piece of work. While he could not regard the lymph
as a successful curative agent he recognized that a great field of
research had been opened up, which would probably lead to very valuable
work being done not only in connexion with tuberculosis but with other
diseases. During another visit to Europe in 1891 he made further inquiries
but could only conclude that up to that date the Koch treatment was a
failure. On his return he was asked to become a member of the board of
health, and at the beginning of 1893 became medical adviser to the
government and president of the board of health, the dual offices carrying
a salary of £1030 a year. Some objection was made to his taking these
positions while still a full-time officer of the university. He held them
until 1896 and did valuable work, but a public service board having been
constituted it ruled that though Stuart was a highly efficient officer he
should give his whole time to the government positions. He decided to
resign as president, but continued to be a member of the board for the
remainder of his life. He found time to do some public lecturing and took
an active interest in the Prince Alfred hospital. In 1901 he became
chairman, and it was largely through his initiative and organizing ability
that this hospital became the largest general hospital in Australia. In
1901 he was responsible for the opening of a department of dentistry at
the university. The number of medical students rose steadily through the
years and additions were made to the buildings and the staff was
increased. In 1908 he was largely concerned in the founding of the
Institute of Tropical Medicine at Townsville and in 1914 he was created a
knight bachelor. Early in 1919 he became ill and an exploratory operation
disclosed that his condition was hopeless. With great courage he continued
to carry out his work to as late as January 1920 and he died on 29
February. He married (1) Miss Ainslie in 1882 and (2) Miss Dorothy
Primrose in 1894. Lady Stuart and her four sons survived him. His portrait
by Sir John Longstaff is at the national gallery, Sydney.
Anderson Stuart was a tall
man of handsome presence, though his prominent nose made him an easy
subject for the caricaturist. He was an excellent lecturer and a
first-rate teacher, but it was his remarkable business sense and
personality that made him so distinguished. At times he made enemies and
he was not always willing to give full consideration to the opinions of
others, but his energy, organization and foresight, made possible the
remarkable development of the Sydney medical school and the Prince Alfred
hospital. |
