Burnell, Mary Taylor (1907 - 1996)

Summary

Mary Burnell was a highly respected paediatric anaesthetist in South Australia for many years and a pioneer in the field. After enrolling as an arts student, she transferred to science, before finishing her university education in medicine. She began her career as Resident Medical Officer at the Adelaide Children's Hospital in 1931, and became Honorary Anaesthetist in 1934 both here and at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Angel resigned after marrying, and worked in private practice with her surgeon husband. During WW2 she returned to work at the Children's Hospital where she was the only anaesthetist and was on call day and night. She resigned from public work in 1968 and private practice in 1969. Angel was active in professional associations, becoming the first female member of the Australian Society of Anaesthetists in 1935 and the first woman to be President from 1953 to 1954. She was a member of the board of the Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the first women Dean of the Faculty. Burnell resigned from public work in 1968 and private practice in 1969. Her love of wine led her to being honoured as a Chevalier du Tastevins.

Details

Chronology

1931

Education - MB MS, University of Adelaide

10 August 1931

Career event - Registered medical practitioner in South Australia

1932 - 1933

Career position - Resident Medical Officer, Adelaide Children's Hospital

1934 - 1936

Career position - Anaesthetist, Adelaide Children's Hospital

1934 - 1936

Career position - Anaesthetist, Royal Adelaide Hospital

1935

Career position - First woman Member, Australian Society of Anaesthetists

1942 - 1968

Career position - Anaesthetist, Royal Adelaide Hospital

1949 - 1980

Career position - Member, Mothers' and Babies' Health Association, Adelaide

1952

Career position - Foundation Fellow, Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

1953 - 1954

Career position - President, Australian Society of Anaesthetists

1954

Award - Geoffrey Kaye Oration, Australian Society of Anaesthetists

1955

Career event - Elected to the Board, Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

1966

Career position - Dean, Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

1968

Career position - Fellow, Faculty of Anaesthetists, United Kingdom

1968

Career event - Retired from public work

1969

Career event - Retired from private practice

1976 - 1996

Award - Honorary Fellow, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

1977

Award - Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal

1995

Event - Inaugural Mary Burnell Lecture given in Townsville, Queensland

Related entries

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

• McCarthy, Gavan; Morgan, Helen; Smith, Ailie; van den Bosch, Alan, Where are the Women in Australian Science?, Exhibition of the Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, First published 2003 with lists updated regulary edn, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, 2003, https://eoas.info/exhibitions/wisa/wisa.html. Details

Books

• Murray, James, Lifework: Heroes of Australian Health (Edgecliff, NSW: Focus Publishing for [Medical Benefits Fund of Australia Ltd], 1997), 160 pp. Details

Journal Articles

• Cronin, Monica and Hunti, Ari, 'Dr Mary Burnell: a remarkable life', ANZCA bulletin, 25 (2) (2016), 30-31. Details
• Wilson, G., 'Dr Mary Taylor Burnell', Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, 24 (1996), 721-3, https://doi.org/10.1177/0310057X9602400618. Details
• Wilson, Gwen, 'Mary Taylor Burnell: Dean 1966 -5 1967, Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons', Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists bulletin, 5 (4) (1996), 3-4. Details

Resources

• 'Burnell, Mary Taylor (19070221-19960825)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1476498. Details