Thomson, Edgar Frederick (1903 - 1977)

Summary

Edgar Thomson was a pathologist and medical administrator who enjoyed a high reputation in his profession. He served with distinction with the Australian Army Medical Corps during WWII being involved with the evacuation from Crete, the management of bacteriological laboratories, and the manufacture of penicillin in Australia. Much of his career was at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, where for nearly ten years he was Chief Executive Officer. He contributed to national medical organisations including over 20 years as Chairman of the National Transfusion Committee, Australian Red Cross Society, and as Chairman of the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee. Thomson was active in professional organisations, holding executive offices in the New South Wales Branch of the British Medical Association, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and being foundation President of the College of Pathologists of Australia.

Details

Chronology

1926

Education - MB ChB, University of Otago

1927 - 1929

Career position - laboratory assistant, Otago Medical School

1929 - 1933

Career position - Assistant Pathologist, Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand

1933 - 1937

Career position - Bacteriologist, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney

1937 - 1939

Career position - Assistant Pathologist, Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand

1940 - 1946

Military service - Served with Royal Australian Army Medical Corps

1940 - 1947

Career position - Bacteriologist, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney

1947 - 1958

Career position - Director, Fairfax Institute of Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney

1947 - 1968

Career position - Chairman, National Transfusion Committee, Australian Red Cross Society

1948 - 1965

Career position - Member of Council, New South Wales Branch, British Medical Association

1952 - 1957

Career position - Commander, 1st General Hospital, Citizen Military Forces

1956 - 1957

Career position - Foundation President, College of Pathologists of Australia

1956 - 1957

Career position - President, New South Wales Branch, British Medical Association

1956 - 1970

Award - Foundation Fellow, College of Pathologists of Australia

1957 - 1962

Career position - Deputy Director of Medical Services, Eastern Command, Citizen Military Forces

1958 - 1967

Career position - General Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney

1959 - 1962

Career position - Honorary Surgeon to Queen Elizabeth II

1962 - 1964

Career position - Vice-President, Royal Australasian College of Physicians

1963

Award - Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)

1963 - 1966

Career position - Chairman, Australian Drug Evaluation Committee

1965 - 1977

Career position - Fellow, Australian Medical Association

1970 - 1977

Award - Fellow, Royal College of Pathologists of Australia

1977

Award - Gold Medal, Royal College of Pathologists of Australia

Related entries

Published resources

Book Sections

• Refshauge, W.D.; Mcallester, James C., 'Thomson, Edgar Frederick (1903-1977), Pathologist and Army Officer' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 16: 1940 - 1980 Pik-Z, John Ritchie and Diane Langmore, eds (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 2002), pp. 387-388. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A160468b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• McGovern, V. J.; Refshauge, William; Alexander, Munro S.; Jones, Keith; and Walsh, R. J., 'Edgar Frederick Thomson', Medical Journal of Australia, 1978 (1) (1978), 440-2. Details
• Rieger, Clarence, 'E F. Thomson CMG, MB, CHB, FRACP, FRIPH, MRCPA', British Medical Journal, 1977 (26 November) (1977), 1422-3. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q21536954. Details
• 'Thomson, Edgar Frederick (19030404-19770904)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1772568. Details