Cox, Leonard Bell (1894 - 1976)

Summary

Leonard Cox was one of Australia's leading neurologists, at the forefront of the development of clinical neurology in Australia and particularly noted for his expertise in the pathology of brain tumours. For over 20 years from 1934 Cox was Honorary Neurologist at the Alfred Hospital where he worked closely with his brother-in-law, Hugh Trumble, and was instrumental in the establishment of the Hospital's first neurology department. Cox was renowned as a gifted clinician. He was also much respected by his students at the University of Melbourne, where he lectured in neurological pathology on a part-time basis from 1932 to 1951. Cox held office as President of the Australian Association of Neurologists from its foundation in 1950 for 7 years. He was also noted for his expertise in Chinese art: his collection was bequeathed to the National Gallery of Victoria.

Details

Chronology

1916

Education - MB BS, University of Melbourne

1916 - 1917

Career position - Resident Medical Officer, Melbourne Hospital

1917 - 1919

Career event - Served with the Australian Army Medical Corps

1919

Education - Member, Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh

1920

Education - MD, University of Melbourne

1920

Career position - Beaney Scholar, Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne

1923 - 1932

Career position - Partner in the practice of John Mackeddie, Melbourne

1930 - 1934

Career position - Clinical Assistant, Alfred Hospital

1932 - 1951

Career position - Honorary lecturer (part-time) in neurological pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Melbourne

1934 - 1955

Career position - Honorary neurologist, Alfred Hospital

1938 - 1976

Career position - Foundation Fellow, Royal Australasian College of Physicians

1948

Career position - Chairman, Section of Neurology and Psychiatry, British Medical Association Meeting. Perth

1948

Award - Rennie Lecturer, Royal Australasian College of Physicians

1950 - 1957

Career position - Foundation President, Australian Association of Neurologists

1951 - 1953

Career position - President, National Gallery Society of Victoria

1957 - 1965

Career position - Chairman of Trustees, National Gallery of Victoria

1963 - 1972

Career position - Member, Management Committee, National Rhododendron Garden, Olinda, Victoria

1965

Life event - Retired

1968

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

Related entries

Published resources

Books

• Wehner, Volkhard, A Melbourne Doctor and his Generation: Leonard Bell Cox, 1894-1976, Neurologist, Orientalist, Art Collector, Gardener (with contributions by Mervyn J. Eadie, Peter E. Bladin and Monica S. Wehner) (Olinda (Vic.): Leddicott Press, 2004), 550 pp. Details

Book Sections

• Schwieger, Arthur, 'Cox, Leonard Bell (1894 - 1976)' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 13: 1940 - 1980 A-De, John Ritchie, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1993), pp. 521-2. http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/cox-leonard-bell-9850. Details
• Sunderland, S., 'The Cox-Trumble contribution to Australian neurology' in Neurology in Australia, Morris, J., ed. (Sydney: Australian Association of Neurologists, 1994), pp. 99-111. Details

Journal Articles

• Bladin, P. F.; Eadie, M. J.; and Wehner, V., 'Leonard Bell Cox (1894 - 1976) - pioneer of Australian clinical neurology', Journal of clinical neuroscience, 11 (8) (2004), 819-24. Details
• Cox, Leonard, 'Hugh Compson Trumble', Medical Journal of Australia, 1963 (1) (1963), 406-8. Details
• Russell, K. F., and Bradley, K. C., 'Obituary: Leonard Bell Cox', Medical Journal of Australia January, 1 (1) (1977), 37-8. Details