Portrait of Sir Harold Dewsir harold dew

A special stool made to enable a disabled surgeon to operate while sitting was donated to the College by Mr John Farlow FRACS in September 2003.The stool was made for Gilbert Phillips FRACS (1904-52), the legendary Sydney neurosurgeon and wine connoisseur. Phillips was a gifted young graduate, a protégé of (Sir) Harold Dew (PRACS 1953-55). He went to England, where he became surgical assistant to (Sir) Hugh Cairns, amongst others. He was a consultant to the RAAF during WWII, and at the end of the War returned to England at Cairns’ request. Back in Sydney, he returned to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where he spent most of his professional career. In 1951, after a long battle with skin cancer, he had his right leg amputated below the knee. Only a few weeks later he was back working at the operating table, and it was at this time the stool was constructed for him. By now however, he was suffering from secondary melanoma, and he died in September 1952.This object is an interesting example of pioneering apparatus from the days before stools became a familiar piece of theatre equipment.The design of the stool is simple and robust. A substantial padded saddle forms the seat, which is adjustable for height. The saddle is upholstered in red leather. The frame is made from tubular steel, painted cream. The whole device runs on three swivelling casters, two at the front and one at the rear, which enable it to be taken in any direction. noneracs, gilbert phillips, harold dew, surgery, 2003

Mark Cowley Lidwill was awarded an Honorary Fellowship in 1954 after his retirement to honour his working life.Mark Cowley Lidwill was born in England in 1878. His family moved to Melbourne in 1894. Lidwill studied medicine at the University of Melbourne, graduating with honours in 1902 and achieving a Doctorate in Medicine (MD) in 1905. Soon after graduation he moved to Sydney and in 1913 was appointed as the first lecturer in anaesthetics at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. That year Lidwill became the first person in the world to catch a black marlin with rod and reel. The event was celebrated in newspapers throughout the country and the marlin skeleton is now on display at the Australia Museum. Lidwill was also the designer of a machine which could deliver anaesthesia mechanically. Compact and portable, the machine delivered precise, although variable, concentrations of ether. Lidwill is also credited with developing the world’s first pacemaker. In a letter he wrote to Harry Daly in 1955, Lidwill was ambivalent about the fate of the machine: “No one would be bothered with it and they thought I was mad”.Printed certificate from the Faculty of Anaesthetists of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) awarded to Mark Cowley Lidwill as an Honorary Fellowship. Printed in black ink at the top of the certificate is the RACS coat of arms. The certificate is dated 26 June 1954 and has been signed by Harold R Dew, President of the College, and other members of the executive.mark cowley lidwill, faculty of anaesthetists, honorary fellowship, royal australasian college of surgeons, cardiology, pacemaker, royal prince alfred hospital, doctorate in medicine